THE
ERRY ORDER OF ST, BRIDGET
PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF
THE USE OF THE ROD
By MARGARET ANSON
k^t^
YORK: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR'S FRIENDS
MDCCCLVII
',- • . ...
CONTENTS.
Letter I. —
PAGE
The Chateau de Floris
I
Letter II. —
The Initiatory Ceremony
19
Letter III. —
The Fair Flagellants
33
Letter IV. —
Training a Page
45
Letter V. —
A Remarkable Religieuse
75
Letter VI.
Preparing for a Sensation
99
Letter VII. —
The Whipping of Cupid
119
A Conjugal Scene
. 136
MS01810
IV CONTENTS.
PAGE
Letter VIII. —
The Woman in White . . .147
Madlle. Loupe . . . 153
Letter IX. —
A Roland for an Oliver . . .164
Fanciful Flogging . . . 173
Letter X. —
The Princesse's Story . . .193
Letter XI. —
A Profitable Pupil .... 205
Letter XII. —
" Which ends this strange Eventful History " 223
THE
@Mepry ©pderofo)t. Bridget.
CHAPTER I.
THE CHATEAU DE FLO R IS.
Laura Housf, Bayswater,
April 10th 1868.
My dear Marion,
I am sure you must have wondered what
has become of me in all these years (three, isn't it?) since
we met at Lord E 's place. Perhaps you won't care
to hear from me again, and will fancy I have forgotten
our old friendship ; indeed, my dear, it is not so, but
I've been knocking about a bit, and seen the world.
I've been in Paris two years in two different places,
and learned as much in that time as many folks do in
a lifetime. Cooped up as you are in a humdrum sort of
A
'fll\ ' //.MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
place, with one old lady, you can have no idea of what
goes on in livelier households. In my last place I was
one of six lady's maids, all with nothing to do but to
attend to some separate part of our lady's toilet. I
entered her service from that of a grave austere woman
with no ideas of colour beyond brown and grey, and a
tremendous church-goer, so you may imagine what a
change it was. I soon wearied of that place, you may
be sure, and was glad when the Marquise St. Valery
took me into her service. The Marquis was immensely
proud and very poor, but he bestowed his titles and
position upon a banker's daughter, whose wealth was
said to be fabulous. When she married and took her
station among the elite of Parisian society, she made
up her mind that she would be unapproachable in the
matter of luxury. My dear, I can give you no idea of
her magnificence or her extravagance. Her house, her
carriages, her servants, and the splendour of her attire
were the themes of all Paris, and when she appeared
in public she had quite a retinue of admirers and flat-
terers ; while at home she seemed to hold a levee from
morning till night. Her toilettes were the admiration
of all the fashionable world, and her dressmaker had
only to announce that she had anything in hand for
THE CHATEAU DE FLORIS. 3
the Marquise St. Valery, to have her shop crowded
from morning till night with ladies eager to get a sight
of what the Queen of Fashion was going to appear in
next. She was a large voluptuous-looking woman,
with a splendid bust and arms, and almost anything
looked well upon her, — and for luxurious habits, I
never knew anyone who could approach her. I fancied
I was pretty wide awake before I went there, but I
learned things I never dreamed of in that establish-
ment. If I had you with me for a day I could tell
you such things ! Perhaps I may put some of them
into a letter yet Nothing I could see done or hear
of being done by fine ladies would astonish me now
after what I have seen in that place as well as my
present one. We were six of us lady's maids, and
every one had her special duties, — mine was her lady-
ship's head, and it was no sinecure, for her hair was
her weakest point ; it was neither of good quality nor
luxuriant, and yet, when she was dressed, she appeared
to have a magnificent head. This was my province,
and she would change her style half-a-dozen times
a day sometimes. You see it was no trouble to her,
except to sit and have it put on ; so she would wear
Madonna bands in the morning, ringlets in the car-
4 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
riage, and a Pompadour coiffure for the evening. I
had enough to do with it all. Another maid had the
dresses, a third the under linen, and a fourth took charge
of her stockings and shoes. Then there was one over
us all whose business it was to arrange the toilettes,
and superintend the general effect, and woe to her if
our lady was not pleased ! With all her money, the
Marquise had an exceedingly vulgar temper. The
other maid had the charge of the bath and the linen
belonging to it, and her post was not easy to fill. My
lady was particular about her scents and powders, and
was given to changing her mind at the last minute,
and railing because water could not be drawn off, and
fresh put in, in half-a-dozen seconds. Then she had
pages I don't know how many ; they seemed to be all
over the place, dressed in all kinds of fantastic liveries
— one to hand letters, another to fetch refreshments,
another to be always in waiting, &c, &c. ; indeed,
there was no end to her vagaries, and for a long time
I wondered what she wanted with so many of them,
and how she kept them in order. I soon found out.
She practised whipping, as almost every fashionable
lady does, and kept them in order with the rod. I
dare say, shut up as you are, you have never seen any-
THE CHATEAU DE FLORIS. 5
thing of the practice since you and I were girls to-
gether at Mme. Duhauton's. Do you remember how
we used to indulge in whipping on the sly, when
Madame thought we were in bed ? That was a very
untutored way of proceeding. I have learned better
since, and I can tell you that the passion for the rod
is one which grows ; I am as ardent a votary of whip-
ping now as any of the ladies I have served, and I
have had two mistresses who loved it dearly. Mme.
St. Valery kept her women and pages in order with
the rod, and taught us to dread it, but she was not
refined in her manner of using it ; she would begin
well enough, but it was sure to end in her getting in
a passion. Many a time I have smarted well in her
service, but if she hit hard she knew how to heal the
smarts,— a twenty franc billet-de-banc is a good plaster
for the weals of a lady's rod, and many and many a
one I got from her. I might have made a heap of
money if I had not been wasteful, for I've been with
people who flung it about like dirt, and thought no
more of five pound notes than you and I should think
of penny pieces. I was obliged to leave the Marquise
at last — I could not stand her tantrums ; the money
was all very well, but there was no pleasing her, or
6 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
the principal maid either, and as good luck would have
it, my present lady wanted a maid, and was pleased
with the style of the Marquise's head-dress, and so
took me. I call her my lady still, though I have left
her for a time, and come to live with her mother, a
horrid old frump ; the fact is, I am in a kind of dis-
grace. We had been paying a long visit at the
Chateau de Floris. near Tours, and there was nothing
going on all day long but gaiety and fun, and the
time passed quickly enough. My lady had to leave
there ; you'd see her name in the papers. She tells
her friends she came home to recruit, but that's not it.
My lord brought her off in a hurry, and sent me here,
and what do you think for ? for going in with a lot
more ladies for a sort of club — great fun and secret —
only ladies admitted — and how it got to my lord's ears
was the funniest part of all. Anyhow, we had to come
away, and he is furious. You will want to know
what the club was about ; well, it was made up of
dressing, talking, and whipping. Yes, my dear, a
regular whipping society, where the rod was used with
all due forms and ceremonies, and ladies practised and
submitted to punishment in every conceivable form.
I thought of it all the other day when I came upon a
THE CHATEAU DE FLORIS. /
pompous newspaper paragraph about the abolition of
whipping in schools and homes, and the decline of the
" barbarous " practice of the rod. Ah, my dear, news-
paper folks don't know everything ! I think you and
I could tell them a little about it. But you wanted
to know about the fashions ; you've got them all in
England, my dear, only the English ladies are not so
finished as the French — they don't do things so com-
pletely. When I was at Tours — and a funny old place
it is — I saw as much of the fashions as though I had
been in Paris. There was a large party staying there
(at the Chateau de Floris : it is a big old place, al-
most like a town), and every day the ladies appeared
in different dresses in the salons, to say nothing of
what they wore in their own private rooms. I know
my lady spent a fortune while she was there ; she
would dress in her own room, where no mortal eyes
could see her but mine, in lace and linen, embroidered
silk shoes and lace stockings, expensive enough to pro-
vide a family with food and clothes for a year. The
Count de Floris spared no expense to please his visi-
tors ; and the chateau, which was so secluded as to
appear miles from any town, was beautifully furnished
and decorated. The Count was a bachelor, and that
8 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
perhaps accounted for some of the freaks of his lady
guests,who could not have ventured upon their vagaries
with a mistress at the head of affairs. The drawing-
rooms of the chateau were splendid ; the new blue was
the prevailing colour of the draperies, relieved with
silver and satin wood for the framework of the furni-
ture. That the ladies' complexions might not be tried,
or the effect of their toilettes marred, there were dra-
peries of white lace very cleverly interspersed, and the
prevailing tint of the painted floors and wall paper was
white also. The rooms were beautiful to look into of a
night when the company were all there in their evening
toilettes. One which my lady wore at a ball excited
great admiration, and envy too, for she had it sent
down from Paris, made after a design she sketched
for Elise herself. You know she is dark, and she
chose amber for the colour of her robe ; she wore the
new pannier petticoat, which only wants a little more
expansion to grow into the curious hoops of more than
a hundred years ago, when ladies could have carried
a box on each side of them ; it is a very small affair
at present, only meant to support the dress a little,
but mark my words, my dear, it wiMgtow — see if it
does not. The bottom of it was frilled and edged
THE CHATEAU DE FLOK1S. 9
with Cluny lace, and for bodice my lady wore one
of the new slip bodies which form a chemisette and
bodice in one. The upper part of it was covered
with puffings of amber satin trimmed with lace, and
sleeves of the same. My lady always wears sleeves,
though it is by no means the prevailing mode here ;
she says that it is not modest to wear a string of
jewels or a slight spray of artificial flowers for a
shoulder strap, leaving the arm entirely bare ; but it
was not modesty, it was my lord ! She appeared in a
costume of that sort once, and he flew into a passion,
and made her go and put on something more modest.
My lady was very angry, for she is a fine made woman,
and her bust and arms are worth looking at. But she
pretends now to dislike the fashion. Her stockings
were of silk, the new tint of pink — it is more like
the faintest possible shade of mauve than anything
else — with clocks up the sides, and her slippers were
of amber satin, with high gilt heels. They were
pointed at the toe in the Marie Antoinette style, and
had rosettes with ruby ornaments in the centre ;
the rosette was of the new blue, edged with black
lace and tipped with diamonds. My lady has a
lovely foot and ankle, and she knows it, and is fond
10 MEKKV ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
of having it admired ; indeed, her legs and feet have
been painted, and modelled, and sung about, by artists,
and sculptors, and poets, — and no wonder. I've served
a good many fine ladies and beautiful women, but
such a symmetrical calf and ankle as hers I never saw
It was her feet that first attracted the attention of
a certain Royal Highness, which caused so much
scandal a year or two ago, — my lady is almost old
enough to be his mother, but that does not matter
where beauty is concerned. She wore an amber train,
very long behind, with six puffings round the bottom
of the skirt ; over that, a satin tunic made in a very
curious fashion. The front was square and short, like
an apron ; the back was in three divisions, a good way
apart, with deep black lace flounces between them,
the bottom one going round the front and along the
edge of the apron. The flounces were looped at the
sides with large stars of blue flowers mixed with
diamonds and rubies, and the head-dress corresponded.
It was a curious costume, but it suited my lady well.
At the same ball, a young lady appeared in a dress
which had almost no body ; it was so bare that when-
ever she moved the whole of her bosom could be
seen, and was confined on the shoulder by a wreath
THE CHATEAU DE FLORIS. 1 [
of snowdrops, cunningly fastened together. The
whole of a most beautiful arm was thus exposed, an
arm as faultless as my mistress's leg ; it looked like
veined marble, against a dress of rich pink silk : her
arms were that young lady's specialty, and she took
care every one should know it. The turn of her neck
was another lady's great point, and she was as careful to
let no necklace or anything else come high enough on
her throat to interfere with the exhibition of it ; she
wore a dress of rich blue, trimmed with white lace
and pearls, and strings of pearls in her dark hair.
The luxury and extravagance of the ladies would
sound like a fairy tale if put in print, and I don't
wonder at my Lord taking fright as he did, though
my lady was not near so thoughtless as some of them.
Our rooms were beautifully fitted up : the bedroom
was hung with the new Paris pattern chintz — ugly
enough I thought it, but it is all the rage, — and my
lord's dressing room was en suite ; my lady's was
different, being all hung with amber and purple, amber
predominating, and splendid white lace curtains. Her
toilet table was beautiful to look at, for, in addition
to her own service, which we carried with us, the
Count had given orders that no expense should be
12 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
spared to make her room as elegant as possible.
Out of this apartment opened a bath-room, with
fittings of white marble and grey draperies, relieved
with blue and gold ; it was warmed by a patent stove
which also heated a small cupboard for warm towels
if required. The windows were beautifully painted
with arms of the De Floris, which device was also
woven into all the napery used at the chateau. The
linen was of the most exquisite description ; the
trimmed sheets and pillow-cases were of the finest
texture — all woven expressly for the Count, with his
cypher in the corners and a border of fleur de lis.
Ah, the Count was a thorough gentleman, Marion : he
gave me a present of a purse containing ten louis d'ors
when I left, and, — but that has nothing to do with it ;
ladies'-maids have charms as well as their mistresses,
and gentlemen have eyes. But I know you are dying
to hear all about the club, and how it was set afoot.
I can hardly tell you that, but it began with some
nonsense in my lady's room. She had just come out
of her bath one day, and was sitting in her chemise
and a loose wrapper, for me to put her stockings on.
when Lady C knocked at the door. There were
some queer tales going about respecting Lady C
THE CHATEAU DE FLORIS. 1 3
and her maids ; she was a passionate, proud woman,
and had more than once got into scrapes for allowing
her love for the rod to carry her greater lengths in
punishing them than they would quietly brook. Her
present maid, Stephens by name, looked a regular
tartar, and I don't think her ladyship ever tried it on
with her. Lady C started at seeing my lady
half naked, and whispered something in her ear —
" Oh, nonsense !" my lady said.
" Why nonsense, my clear ? It is universally prac-
tised f and then she added something in too low a
tone for me to hear, and my lady laughed again.
" Send your maid away," says Lady C , " and
we'll try."
11 Go down stairs till I ring, Anson," my lady said.
"Not if I know it," I said to myself; and I did
not go far, you may be sure. I guessed what they
were going to be at, and I was not far wrong. I
crept round to the door which communicated with my
14 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
lord's room, and peeped through the keyhole. They
had locked it, but the key was conveniently turned,
and I could see all that transpired.
" Now for the formula," says Lady C .
" But where's the rod ?" my lady asked.
" Oh ! I'll soon make one, my dear."
With that she opened the window, and broke off
some slender sprigs from a myrtle which grew outside,
completely spoiling the bush by doing it. In a few-
moments she had them bare of leaves, and tied to-
gether with a blue embroidered garter, with silver
fringe, which lay upon the floor.
11 Too short to be of much use/' she said ; " but
we'll try. Come, my lady, kiss the rod."
And my lady knelt and did it, laughing all the while ;
and then Lady C pinned up her chemise all round,
and gave her a good whipping across her knee. Not
with the myrtle, though — it proved too brittle, and
THE CHATEAU DE ELORIS. 1 5
broke off in little twigs with every blow. Lady
C was at no loss : she didn't let go of my lady ;
but put up her great ugly foot, and whipped off her
slipper. Such a slipper ! it had done duty at more
than one ball, and was all frayed and soiled at the
edges ; she was not like my lady, dainty about her
feet in the privacy of her own room, but went any
way, to Stephens' great annoyance, who lost the
reversion of many things which should by rights have
come to her. I think I can see that old woman now,
flourishing that old pink shoe ; and I could see by the
expression of my lady's face, that she did not relish
being touched with it. My lady had beautiful firm
flesh ; her skin, though dark, was clear and smooth,
and every stroke of the pliable slipper raised a deep
red mark. I could see that they were afraid of
making too much noise, and so the punishment was
not heavy, but my lady scuffled and screamed for all
that ; and when I was called in, by which time you
may be sure I was a long way off, she was very
flushed and a little hysterical, I took no notice, and
she little thought I had seen all that went on ; and
old Lady C (the old gorgon) had her shoe on
and went away to her own rooms, looking as stiff and
1 6 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
stern as if she had never indulged in any pranks in
her life. I said to myself, " This won't be the last of
it, ' and I was right ; for you know, my dear how the
passion for the rod grows upon those who practise it.
It wasn't long before the same thing occurred again ;
only, this time there were three ladies present, who all
took part in whipping and being whipped. My lady
had made a rod herself for the occasion, out of some
thin whalebone ; and a stinging thing it must have
been, to judge from the fidgets which seemed to afflict
them all after the performance was over. And so it
went on, till one morning I was made to dress her
with more than usual care, and nearly all the married
ladies in the chateau met in her rooms, and went in
procession to the Count with a comical petition that
the tabagie, which was a magnificently fitted room
and in great request, might be given up to their use.
Of course the gentlemen objected to give up their
special den, where they could retire and enjoy them-
selves their own way, without fear of interruption ;
but the ladies had their own special reasons for want-
ing that particular room. I haven't, however, time to
tell you what they wanted with it now ; I hear wheels,
and my lady will want me : I'll write again as soon as
THE CHATEAU DE FLORIS. \J
ever I have time, for what came of it was great fun. —
Meantime, believe me,
Your affectionate friend,
Margaret Anson.
P.S. — I shall write the next letters just as if I was
still at the Chateau de Floris, and still engaged in the
amusements of the day.
B
LETTER II.
the initiatory ceremony.
My dear Marion,
I haven't had a minute since I wrote last
— my lady has been ill ; neuralgia she calls it, I call it
tantrums— but that's no matter. I have got a moment
to myself again at last. Where did 1 leave off? Oh,
I remember ! about the ladies asking for the tabagie.
They got it, and the gentlemen had to take to another
smoking room. There was a great deal of joking and
fun about it, and the Count offered any other room in
the chateau ; but they had their set minds on it, and
they would have it. You see it was built out at the
back, and had two ante-rooms ; one the gentlemen used
for their hats and sticks, and the other was fitted up as
a lavatory. The tabagie opened on both of them, and
was a fine room, all fitted up with deep crimson
relieved with gold ; the furniture was ebony, and
the chairs and sofa backs were beautifully carved ;
20 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
there was a sort of dais at the end farthest from the
door, covered with cushions, which was very useful to
the ladies, for they made it a president's seat. It was
some few days before they made all the necessary
arrangements, and in the meantime the Princesse
Z , a Russian Lady, and a great beauty, went to
Paris ; she would not let any one go for her, though
every one (gentlemen, at least) in the house offered to
go to the end of the world, if need be, to serve her, —
and I don't wonder at it, for she was a charming little
creature, petite and winning. She was a brunette,
like my mistress, but not so dark, and her silky brown
hair fell over her shoulders in the loveliest curls I ever
saw; she would never dress it in any of the new modes,
for she was very vain of it, and with good reason.
She was said to have the smallest foot in Europe,
and, indeed, her slippers were more like a child's
shoes than anything else. There were all sorts of
stories afloat concerning her, and it was pretty well
known that she was too lovely for the Empress'
peace of mind, or the Emperor's either for that
matter ; and that was why she was the Count de
Floris' guest instead of being at Court. She set off
for Paris in great style with her attendants : she did
THE INITIATORY CEREMONY. 21
just as she liked, and her travelling retinue was fit for
a queen. The ostensible reason for her going was to
see her lawyer ; but that was not all, — and the ladies
glanced at one another, and laughed, when she gave
it with all the gravity possible. They knew well
enough what she went for ; and when they saw a long
box carried up to her dressing room, they did not launch
out into any inconvenient curiosity, as some of her
intimate friends among the gentlemen did. The day
after her return the ladies were to meet in the tabagie
for the first time ; and the servants had a time of it
putting it in order : everything belonging to the
gentlemen had to be cleaned out, and the room
scented and purified from every taint of tobacco.
This wasn't an easy matter after years of smoking,
but the Count gave strict orders : he said that what-
ever the ladies insisted on should be done ; and be-
tween the gentlemen grumbling, and the ladies fidget-
ting, and the servants protesting, the nice old lady
who was the housekeeper had a hard time of it. But
it was done at last, and very thoroughly too, and
placed at the ladies' disposal. A chair was set upon
the dais, and others all round the room. A large
ottoman, about the height of a chair, was wheeled in
22 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
front of the president's seat ; and two handsome
branch candlesticks, which, by right, belonged to the
hall, were placed on each side of it ; and vases of cut
flowers arranged on all the brackets, which were fixed
for the gentlemen's tobacco jars and cigar stands.
The gentlemen laughed, and teased the ladies, and
one or two went so far as to say to their wives that
they insisted on knowing what it was all about ; but
they got nothing for their pains, save jest for jest, and
repartee for questioning. At first it was only the
married ladies who joined the assembly, but they
were soon reinforced by the others, till at the time
of my leaving the chateau all the guests, save a few
of the oldest ladies, were mixed up in it. I knew
what they were all about, for I " listened up," as some
one says in a farce, and I knew that sooner or later
they would want me, which they did on the very first
night. They all agreed to wear fancy dresses, and
that, with some of them, meant just going as near
naked as they could. One young married lady went
as Una, without the lion of course, and really she
went as near nature as she could ; she had a thin
tunic of some glittering stuff, and so few petticoats
that I could see her beautiful limbs through it every
THE INITIATORY CEREMONY. 23
time she moved, — and she was a lovely figure. My
lady went, that first evening, as la belle Sauvage, Mexi-
can style : a skirt of feathers sewed on to flame-
coloured silk, a flesh-coloured bodice, no sleeves,
and a real tiger skin hanging from her shoulders, —
bare feet in sandals of skin with the hair on. She
looked very lovely when her black hair hung loose
over her neck and bosom, sparkling with drops to
imitate dew ; and it seemed a pity that only ladies
were to look at her. When I had finished dressing
her, and thrown a mantle round her, Lady C
came in hurriedly.
" We shall make a mess of it after all, without our
maids," she said ; " it will be fatiguing, and we shall
require so many things."
" But it won't do to let them into the secret," my
lady said ; I could trust Anson here, but I know
you all can't say as much for your women."
"We must have some one," Lady C said.
" As president, I could not do without an attendant
to,— to— "
24 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
u Oh yes, I know, Anson will do/' said my lady
with a laugh ; " she must be initiated, though."
They both laughed at this, and I felt rather uncom-
fortable, for I had an inkling of what being initiated
meant ; but my curiosity overcame my distaste for
the ceremony, and I curtseyed in silence. My lady
bade me bring her several articles of lingerie from
her drawers, and lay them out on the sofa beside her ;
also a handsome cashmere peignoir from the wardrobe.
" These will do," she said ; " dress yourself care-
fully, Anson, against we want you downtsairs ; make
your hair neat, and put on that little lace cap, and
those things, — nothing more.
I curtseyed again, and my lady went down stairs
with her friend, leaving me to prepare for my coming
installation as maid to these fair flagellants, for such
I now knew they were. Their meetings had hitherto
taken place in my mistress' room, where they had
exercised the rod upon one another, but none of their
maids were near, — I took care of that, for I did not
much like any of them : the French girls were not
THE INITIATORY CEREMONY. 25
fond of me, because I was a foreigner ; and the
English ones were very jealous, because the gentle-
men gave me more five franc pieces and paid me
more attention than any of them, to say nothing of
the valets, any one of whom I might have had if I had
chosen. But that is not to the purpose. I took a
bath, for I knew as well as my lady the best way to
make myself attractive, and I knew, too, that not a
lady in the chateau had a fairer or clearer skin than
myself. I used freely the perfume and powder on
the bath-room table, and did not neglect to scent the
water as well.
I was determined, although my dress was to be so
plain, that none of them should excel me in flesh and
blood beauty at any rate. Then I brushed and scented
my hair and coiled it up under the cap ; I knew the
ladies did not want a foil but a set-off to their beauty,
so I did my best to make myself as neat and quiet-
looking as possible. I put on the things laid out for
me, and beautiful things they were too ; a chemise of
fine lawn, trimmed with Valenciennes lace and inser-
tion ; a soft white flannel petticoat worked round the
bottom with silk ; another of white cashmere, very
26 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
fine, with a flounce round the bottom edged with
sky-blue velvet. For bodice I had one of my lady's
embroidered ones, and over all the handsome blue
peignoir, with ruchings of white ; no stays or drawers,
and nothing on my feet except blue morning slippers,
with tiny white rosettes. They were of watered silk,
sandalled over my instep with blue satin ribbon ; they
were a pair of my lady's (our feet were exactly the
same size, which was convenient for me). In this
custume I waited the summons not without a good
deal of curiosity and some dread. I knew thoroughly
well what the sting of a rod was like, and it was not
that I feared, but I knew how far the ladies could go
in the matter of tormenting one another, and what
might they not take it into their heads to do to me ?
I had not long to wait, for presently Lady C 's
maid, Stephens, came in, and said snappishly,
" You're to come down."
Stephens was a cross-grained creature, whom we
none of us liked ; she was always interfering with our
pleasures. She was ip a cloak too, and I could see
THE INITIATORY CEREMONY. 2J
she was dressed something like myself, only not with
such taste. Lady C never could dress Ike my
mistress. Stephens wasn't in the secret, and was in-
clined to be very cross.
" I wonder what all this tomfoolery is about," she
said ; " I wanted to have gone out this evening."
I knew, but I held my tongue. I hoped I should
be taken into the room first, and then I should enjoy
her surprise. We went down stairs to the tabagie,
the door of which was closed, and one of the maids of
the Princesse Z standing outside.
" How I should like to be you two," she said ;
" Madame says she can't trust me."
We were each put into a separate room — mine was
the lavatory — and our eyes blindfolded with a handker-
chief. It seemed to me a long time I waited, but I
suppose it was only a few minutes, and then some one
entered the room.
44 Take off your cloak," a voice said that I knew
28 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
for that of Mrs D , an English lady, fat, fair, and
forty, full of life and fun, who had been one of the
movers of the scheme — " Now come with me."
The door of the tabagie was opened, and she led
me in ; then it was shut and locked, and I heard the
sound of suppressed laughter all around me.
Then a voice from the end of the room called
" Silence, if you please, ladies ! " and three knocks
sounded on a table., and the same voice asked " Who
comes there ? "
Prompted by Mrs D , I answered, "A candidate
for a place in the Merry Order of St. Bridget."
" Are you prepared to serve the Merry Order to the
best of your power, and to assist, as bidden by your
mistress, in the ceremonies thereof? "
" I am."
" And do you bind yourself never to reveal aught
that you see, hear or do in this room, on peril of losing
your place without a character ? "
THE INITIATORY CEREMONY. 29
" I do."
M Do you know the object of the Merry Order?"
" I do."
" Detail it."
Again prompted, I replied, " The wholesome and
pleasant discipline of the rod, to be enforced by its
members one upon another during their social meet-
ings in this room."
" Have you ever been whipped ? "
" I have.v
" Do you promise to submit to such flagellation as
the Merry Order shall ordain for you without rebellion
or murmuring thereat ?
" I do."
" Prepare her."
30 MERRY ORDER OF ST. 3RIDGET.
I heard more tittering when this order was given,
and I could feel that Mrs D was shaking" with
suppressed laughter as she obeyed the command, and
took off my peignor. She pinned up the petticoats
and chemise to my shoulders, .and then, my dear, I
knew what was coming. Then some one else took
hold of one of my hands, and Mrs D the other,
and waited the word of command.
" Advance."
They led me forward, and at the first step a stinging
blow from a birch fell on my hips from one side, then
from the other, till I had gone the length of the room.
I screamed and struggled, but it was all in vain ; my
guides held me tight, and by the time they stopped I
could only sob and writhe.
Then came another command, " Kneel down," and
I knelt in front of the square ottoman ; the ladies held
my hands across it, and Lady C came down from
her dais, and whipped me till I hardly knew where I
was. Then they made me stand up, and her ladyship
said.
THE INITIATORY CEREMONY. 3 1
" Ladies of the Order of St. Bridget, do you receive
Margaret Anson as a member and servitor sworn to
do your bidding ? "
" We do," said those who were not laughing.
'• Let her see," was the next order, and at the word
one lady let my clothes drop, and the other took the
bandage from my eyes. I was so smarting from the
whipping I had received, that I could see nothing for
a while, and Mrs D took me by the arm and led
me to the bottom of the room again. When I re-
covered myself enough to look about me, I saw a sight
that the newspaper man, whose paragraph I mentioned
in my last, never dreamed of, I am sure ; but I must
reserve it for my next, as my time and paper are both
exhausted. Send me a line to say you have received
this, and believe me,
Your sincere friend,
M. Anson.
LETTER III.
THE FAIR FLAGELLANTS.
My Dear Marion,
I know you will be on thorns for the con-
tinuation of my story, to hear what it was I saw when
my eyes were unbound after the unmerciful lashing I
had received. As I told you, it was not very easy to
see anything, for I could only twist and writhe about
like an eel, and the ladies laughed most provokingly
at the wry faces I made. At length I could look
about me, and it was an odd scene I saw ; all round
the room the ladies stood, each one by her chair, with
a rod in her hand. The costumes were all different
and very fantastic, and most of their wearers looked
more than usually handsome from being flushed with
excitement. Lady C stood on her dais as a
priestess of I sis, with a wreath of bay leaves on her
head, and her white cashmere robe looped up above
one knee. She had sandals instead of shoes on her
feet, and as she is ugly, old, and fat, you may imagine
what she looked like in such a costume. Pretty little
C
34 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET, ~
Princesse Z stood on her right hand as a moyen-
age court page ; her costume of ruby velvet and white
satin shewed off her beauty to perfection, and the silk
tights displayed every muscle of her lovely legs. Mrs
D had chosen a genuine old-fashioned dress of
the commencement of the present century, in which
she looked very funny, with the waist just under her
arms, and the skirts so tight, that when she sat down
she was a spectacle to be seen. But I can't stay to de-
scribe all the dresses ; indeed, the ladies changed them
so often that it would be imposible ; and I don't
wonder at the gentlemen crying out at the expense of
their secret proceedings. Every lady held a rod in
her hand, made of lithe and strong twigs, tied up with
ribbons which corresponded with the colours of her
dress. It was to procure these that the Princesse
went to Paris ; to have sought them in the neighbour-
hood in such a quantity would have excited suspicion.
On the ottoman over which I had knelt to receive my
final castigation lay two more rods.
"Margaret Anson, approach," said Lady C
once more, and 1 went timidly forward, wondering
whether any more whipping was in store for me.
THE FAIR FLAGELLANTS. 35
" Kneel down."
I knelt, and she presented me with a rod, and in-
formed me that I was now a servitor of the Merry
Order of St. Bridget — allowed to join their ceremonies,
and bound to do their bidding ; and then I was made
to go and stand at the bottom of the room ready to
do to the next comer as the ladies had done to me.
My dear, it nearly cured my smarts to think who the
next comer was — that cross old patch, Lady C 's
maid. There she was waiting in the dark all this
time in a pretty humour ; and I slily felt the twigs of
the rod I held to see that they were all separate and
in order for a good stinging blow. Mine would be
the first stroke, and I was resolved that it should pay
a good many little debts I owed her. My lady was
the messenger this time, and I knew she would do
her best to frighten Stephens, for she did not like
her. If the ladies had laughed when I was brought
in they laughed twice as much at poor Stephens.
She was a tall, gaunt woman, who never had been
pretty, with a sour, haggard face, which looked posi-
tively hideous with her bandaged eyes. She was
dressed in some of her lady's things, but they were
36 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
far too short for her, and the washed-out green peig-
noir only made her sallow complexion look muddier
than ever. She was terribly bewildered, and when
the order " Prepare her " came from her mistress, and
she felt the ladies hands about her dress, she gave a
great jump and a scream, and struggled to get her
hands free. It was no use ; my lady made a sign to
me to hold them tight, and I did it with a will, I can
tell you. Poor Stephens ! kicks and struggles were no
use, her clothes were as securely pinned up as mine
had been in spite of her piteous outcries.
" Oh, my lady ! " she screamed, " Where's my lady ?
She never meant me to be used like this ! Oh, dear
ladies, let me go, and I'll do anything you like, and
never tell — no, not to mortal soul — anything I've seen
or heard here ! "
But the ladies only laughed, and told her if she did
not be quiet she should have her mouth tied up as
well as her eyes, and then Mrs D and my lady
took her hands and set off with her along the room as
I had been led. I thought some of the ladies would
laugh themselves into fits at the funny sight she was
THE FAIR FLAGELLANTS. 37
when stripped ; she had taken a bath as I had done,
but hers was not the kind of skin on which water
makes any impression, so as to look healthy pink
and white after it ; it was all one uniform yellow-
like parchment, and her legs, my dear, they were
nothing but skin and bone, with great ugly knee
joints which stuck out in the queerest manner. My
arm was ready for the blow when the signal was given
for the start, and I let the rod I held come down with
right good will on her withered looking hips, and the
lady opposite followed it up with another given quite
as heartily. For a moment Stephens stood stock still
in such utter amazement as I never saw, and then,
giving a tremendous howl, she fell flat on the floor
and rolled over and over in her fright and pain. How
we got her up I hardly know, for we laughed so, but
she was raised on her feet somehow and dragged for-
ward to the ottoman. She did not get half the whip-
ping I did, for she struggled and kicked so, and be-
sides, the ladies were fairly exhausted with laughing
at her. / had to hold her across the stool,, and she
got it then pretty smartly ; when it was over she slid
down to the ground, and lay there twisting and groan-
ing. Lady C was very angry, and bid her sharply
38 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" get up and not make a fool of herself," but I verily
believe Stephens thought she had got into an assem-
bly of imps, or that the ladies were in league with the
prince of darkness himself — anything more ludicrously
rueful than her looks when they took the bandage
from her eyes I never saw. The rod which was given
to her seemed to relieve her a little, and I heard her
whisper, as she took her place and drew it through her
fingers, " Wait till / get a chance."
But neither she nor 1 ever got a chance again. Our
business was to prepare the ladies, to lead them up the
room, hold their hands, present the rods, serve refresh-
ments ; in fact, se>ve in any way that was required of
us. There was a universal vote for refreshments after
Stephens' admission, and I was ordered to the door to
tell the Princesse's maid to ring for them. She was
all curiosity, for she could hear a little but see nothing,
the doorway was too well shrouded. She was a lovely,
pretty creature, but not to be trusted ; she was too
great a flirt among the gentlemen in the housekeeper's
room. When the refreshments were brought, Stephens
and I had to wait upon the ladies, who seemed to have
gained an appetite for their wine and biscuits by their
THE FAIR FLAGELLANTS. 39
frolic, and a good many of them were pleased to com-
pliment my lady and me upon the neatness of my
costume, and the good humour I had displayed in the
ordeal to which they had subjected me.
Then they began to settle the rules of their society ;
they would meet again in four days, and every lady
must be prepared to relate her own experiences, either
in the practice or endurance of flagellation,— if she
had none, she was to be initiated forthwith, by being
then and there flogged ; if any lady's-maid or page
had offended, the case was to be laid before the meet-
ing, and time and place appointed for punishment,
where two or three chosen could witness the ceremony
unseen ; and further, if any gentleman practised flog-
ging in his own apartments, his wife was bound to tell
it under oath of secresy. We, the new servitors, were
further sworn, under divers pains and penalties, not to
give our fellow-servants in the chateau a hint in any
way what punishment awaited their misdemeanours.
It was further agreed that any lady might take the
place of another to be flogged, if they could so agree
amongst themselves. There was a good deal of dis-
cussion as to whether the single ladies should be ad-
40 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET,
raitted to the society, but it ended in an almost
universal decision that they should, Lady C de-
claring very spitefully, though with some truth, that
the girls of the present day know everything, and
they wouldn't be any way enlightened or abashed at
any experiences they might meet with in the Order
of St. Bridget. Most of the ladies seemed to think
it would be a new sensation the whipping of fresh
young girls, and so the arrangement was carried
universally.
Strangely enough, the Princesse Z was the
only lady who had no personal experiences to relate
and who therefore had to be whipped at the next
meeting. A Russian by birth, she had seen plenty of
whipping, but her parents had been too indulgent
to flog her, and she was far too good-natured, and too
indulgent withal, to whip her servants. She knelt
before the president's chair, and expressed herself
ready to suffer whipping at the hands of her sisters of
the Order, and kissing the rod, resumed her seat.
You may imagine what a chattering there was
amongst the ladies between that meeting and the
next ; and the wondering what the Princesse would
THE FAIR FLAGELLANTS. 41
wear, and how she would stand the whipping. She
was very reserved about it, only saying her dress
should be becoming the occasion, and it was, On the
evening of the ceremony, she did not sit down with
the rest, and the ladies took their places as usual with
their rods. Mrs D was again appointed to fetch
the Princesse, and when she came in, the Merry Order
started, one and all, and gave a murmur of admira-
tion, for there she was in the garb of a penitent. A
white robe of the softest silk fell from her shoulders
to her feet, only confined at the waist by a thick gold
cord to imitate a rope ; no sleeves, nothing on her feet,
and her splendid hair tumbling to her waist in natural
curls. She had not an ornament of any kind, not a
ring even ; and if she had looked beautiful in full
dress, she was ten times more lovely now. She held
a great wax candle in one hand and a rod in the other,
and never moved a muscle of her pretty face amid all
the laughter which came from every part of the room.
tl Who comes there ? " demanded Lady C .
" An humble suppliant for the discipline of the
Merry Order of St. Bridget."
42 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
■ What is her offence ? "
" Ignorance."
" Of what ? "
" Of the discipline of the rod."
" Let her be prepared to receive it now."
I was directed to prepare the Princesse, and I
did so : revealing the most beautiful legs and hips in
the world when I turned up the dress, and the exqui-
sitely fine chemise, which was the only garment she
wore under it. Then Stephens and I took her hands,
in obedience to orders, and led her through the two
ranks of ladies, who each gave her a blow with their
rods, and I noticed that the ugly ones made their
strokes twice as hard as the pretty ones. It seemed
to me as though they were settling an account with
nature for their own ugliness, when they let their rods
fall on that white skin, from which red weals sprung
with every blow.
THE FAIR FLAGELLANTS. 43
She bore it wonderfully, only a start now and then
betraying what she felt, though her rosy lips shewed
the traces of her teeth in more than one place. If
she had never felt the rod before, she knew how to
bear it ; and it seemed to me as though the ladies
tried their best to make her cry out. When she had
been whipped up to the dais, Lady C motioned
them to pause, and put her through a formula of
questions.
" Now you have felt the rod, are you prepared to
admit the pleasure of receiving as well as inflicting
chastisement by it ? "
rf I am."
It was hard work for the little lady to speak, but
she screwed her courage to the sticking place, and did
it bravely.
" And you swear to endure whatever punishment
the Merry Order may impose upon you in the future ? "
* I do."
44 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" Then kneel."
She knelt as we had done over the ottoman, and
Lady C , descending, dealt her several smart
blows with her birch and resumed her seat.
" Rise, Princesse MathiHe Z ," she said laughing;
" now and henceforth an initiated sister of the Merry
Order of St. Bridget."
I never saw such power of endurance in one so
fragile looking ; after a few minutes of silent writhing
she was able to speak again, and, curtseying, beg
permission to retire. She was led out and taken to
her room by two of the ladies, her maid not being
permitted to accompany her. She returned before
the meeting was over, a little flushed but quite calm,
in a loose dress and a soft shawl. I hope you won't
tell any one what I write to you about the ladies and
their doings : in my next I will tell you about a page
the Princesse picked up ; she wanted a new excite-
ment, and truly that boy has been an excitement to
all of us ; but you shall hear all about him in my
next.
Yours truly,
Margaret Anson.
LETTER IV.
TRAINING A PAGE.
My dear Marion,
I told you at the end of my last letter
that the Princesse Z had taken it into her head
to have a page — a real article, no mock institution
made out of a lady dressed up — not even a well-
trained young gentleman from Paris — but a speci-
men of the raw material picked up in a field. The
whipping meetings languished a little after her own
installation ; expectation was on the qui vive all
over the chateau regarding the arrival of a certain
Mons. and Mme. Hautville, who were expected, and
of whom all sorts of reports were rife ; and, conse-
quently, things were a little flat. None of the un-
married ladies had come forward or sought admission
to the tabagie as yet. The ladies were disposed to
be cross and annoyed, and the Princesse's fancy was
a diversion for them. It was a queer fancy, and
gave me no little trouble. She was out driving one
46 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
day with my lady, and was in one of her wilful
moods ; my lady was out of temper, but that was
because her toilet was not so successful as the
Princesse's. That was no wonder, for whatever that
little lady put on you thought it was the most
becoming thing you had ever seen her wear. That
day she was in gold-coloured satin and black velvet —
a gold-coloured petticoat, with Vandykes of black
round the bottom, the points upward ; meeting these
a peplum of black velvet depending from a bodice
of the same, with ruches of yellow satin. Her hat was
a black velvet toque, with a yellow feather, which
went from the front to the back, and fell upon her
shoulders behind. She had black satin Hessian
boots with gold buttons and tassels, and yellow
gloves with jet ornaments. You would think this
a sort of fiendish costume ; but, my dear, she looked
lovely in it. My lady was in pink and white, and
was ghastly by her side. I never felt so dis-
gusted with my own handiwork as I did when I
saw the Princesse step out of her room looking
as she did. But this has nothing to do with the
page. We had been into Tours ransacking the
shops for some trimmings the ladies wanted, and
TRAINING A PAGE. 47
were returning, when suddenly the Princesse called
out —
" What a lovely boy ! "
" Where ? " said my lady.
" There," she replied, pointing to the hedge.
" Make him come here, Antoine."
Antoine got down and spoke to the young savage,
for he looked like nothing else, and brought him to
the carriage door. He was a tall, well-grown boy,
looking about fourteen, and was lazily eating a great
lump of the horrid black bread they use here. He
had on a ragged flannel shirt, and a pair of old
trousers, and what had once been a blouse ; but
there wasn't much of it left. His shirt was open at
the neck and shewed his chest ; and his bare arms
stuck out of his ragged sleeves. I could not help
noticing how shapely they were, and the pretty turn
of his bare feet and ankles, for he had kicked off his
sabots, which lay in the ditch beside him. But the
most remarkable part of his appearance to me was
48 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
the dirt, — I never saw anyone so dirty in my life.
I should think he had never been washed for years.
But the ladies seemed to see through that, and they
looked at him up and dowp as though he had been
some new kind of dog they wanted to buy. They
asked his parents' names, and where he lived, and
drove straight to the filthy little hovel, 'which was
more like a pig's-sty than anything.
" I must have him," the Princesse said, as they
went along ; " he'll make a perfect beauty."
" He'll take a good deal of making," my lady
said, laughing. " Who is to operate on him ? You
can't touch him yet awhile."
11 That's a difficulty— ah, I have it ! I'll turn him
over to Anson there — she has a strong will."
" And a strong arm which is more to the purpose ;
but here we are — these are your protege's papa and
mamma, I suppose."
A pair of horrid old wretches they were, — quite
TRAINING A PAGE. 49
willing to let the boy go, and horridly greedy after
the money given them for their consent. 1 verily
believe they would have sold him for a slave for
a tithe of it. The boy did not go back with us —
the ladies arranged that I was to fetch him after
dark. They did not want any of the men-servants
to see him ; and the pleasant task of training him
was delegated to me. I did not like the idea of it
at first, though I got plenty of fun out of it after-
wards.
" I give you three weeks, Anson," the Princesse
said ; " and after that, every mistake he makes,
you'll come in for a share of his punishment ; so
take care and turn me out a page I shan't be
ashamed of when I go back to Paris."
I thought neither three months, nor three years,
would make anything of such a cub ; but I was mis-
taken, as you would say if you could see Master Gus-
tave, as he is called, now — Jean was his name before.
Well, when it was dark, I went to the cottage and
brought away the boy, taking him straight up to
my lady's dressing-room, where the Princesse was
50 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
waiting to see him. He had evidently never been
in a decent house before, and his wide open eyes
and mouth were a sight to see. When he got into
the room, he gave a sort of unintelligible roar at the
sight of the ladies, and would have run away if we
had not caught him.
" An unsophisticated innocent," my lady said, with
a half sneer. " What is the first thing to be done
with him ? "
" Wash him. Anson, you will take him to the
lower bath-room, and clean him thoroughly ; I can't
touch him as he is. Fifine will help you."
Fifine shrugged her shoulders as though she did
not like it ; but there was no disobeying her mistress,
and we led the boy out of the room.
" Get Saunders to help you," my lady called after
us ; " he will be more than a match for you if he
turns restive."
Which he did as soon as ever he saw the water ;
TRAINING A PAGE. 5 1
he seemed to have as much natural antipathy to it
as a cat, and he roared and struggled so, that the
three of us had much ado to hold him. He declared
that he was clean ; that he would not take off his
clothes ; that he would go home ; and clutched his
miserable rags till they fairly came off piecemeal.
That he was a fine shapely lad we could soon see
for his clothes gave way at every tug, and he was
soon half naked. I saw Saunders pass her hand
over his smooth firm flesh, when his shoulders were
thus exposed, as though she liked it. Suddenly
she drew her hand away with a scream, and dropped
the dirty rag she held on the floor.
" Ah, the little brute ! " she said, " he's all alive !
Look here, Anson."
And sure enough he was — there wasn't a bit of
his clothes as big as the palm of my hand that
wasn't covered with vermin. What were we to do ?
Clean him we must. Yet it went horribly against
us to touch him ; and besides he kicked and
struggled so. At last we got him down on the
floor; and Saunders held him while we tied his
52 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET,
hands and feet. Then we cut his clothes off and
burned every rag of them. I had to do it, — the
Princesse's maid would only pick up the rags with
the tongs ; and Saunders contented herself with
looking on when he was once overpowered. When
I had done with his clothes, I began upon his
shaggy hair, and the murder 1 must have committed
would have put an army to the blush. I noticed
that the boy evinced less and less dissatisfaction as
we went on with our work ; and at length laughed
as though our hands about him at once tickled and
pleased him. He shewed very little shame at thus
being stripped by three women ; but obstinately
refused to enter the bath. Saunders slyly took a
rod from the table, and turning him over her knee,
administered a succession of sharp cuts to his naked
back and thighs, in a manner that made him roar
for mercy, and promise to do anything we wished.
I think astonishment was the uppermost feeling in
his mind at the proceeding — that sort of whipping
he had evidently never been accustomed to, though
there were plenty of bruises on his body to tell of
hard blows with more unmanageable weapons than
a lady's rod. He went quietly enough into the
TRAINING A PAGE. 53
bath after this, and seemed rather to like the con-
tact of the warm water. 'Twould take too long
in a letter to tell how we washed and scrubbed*
and how often we changed the water and got fresh,
before we got him clean ; but we managed it at
last, and turned him out upon the carpet, fresh and
sweet. The Princesse was right — he was a perfect
young Adonis. I never saw such limbs, or such
fresh healthy flesh, on any child, though child he
could hardly be called, being, as well as we could
guess, about fourteen. We rubbed him dry with
soft towels, and dusted him with perfumed powder^
at which he seemed mightily amused ; and then
some wicked impulse moved Fifine to give him a
kiss. She had better not have done it, for the
young savage retorted by throwing his arms round
her neck, and kissing her rosy little mouth till she
was fairly out of breath. This led to a regular
romp between them, and Saunders had to interfere
with her rod, and switch our protege back to some-
thing like order. When she had a little recovered
herself, Fifine burst into a merry laugh, and pointed
to the boy, who was rolling a sofa blanket round
bim.
54 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" What are we to do with him ? " she said ; " we
have burnt his clothes ! Is he to go naked ? "
Here was a dilemma, — there was nothing we
could put on our shivering Cupid without letting
the men-servants into our secret, and that we were
forbidden to do. He laughed and jeered at our
discomfiture ; and, growing bold, declared he should
do very well as he was : " if we liked to look at him,
he dared say our ladies would too ; " and a good
deal more to the same impertinent effect.
" I have it," said Fifine at last ; " I'll dress him.
There goes my lady's bell ! "
She ran off, and in a very short time returned
with some clothes over her arm.
" My lady is impatient," she said. " She wants
to see him ; and says we have been long enough
to wash him three times over."
" She don't know everything," said Saunders, with
a grunt ; " nor what we have had to do to get him
clean. Are these things for him to put on ?"
TRAINING A PAGE. 55
" Yes ; there's nothing else for it — we can't take
him about the place naked."
How we laughed as we dressed him ! A pair of
wide short drawers belonging to the Princesse
daintily trimmed with lace and open-work inser-
tion, were put on him first, and securely fastened
round his waist. They only reached to his knees
and left the whole lower part of his legs bare. We
had no stockings for him, and his feet were thrust
into a pair of slippers of my lady's — those of the
Princesse being far too small. For shirt he had
a short cambric dressing-gown of Fifine's ; and
Saunders insisted on adding a spangled tunic skirt
that had been part of some of the fancy costumes
worn by the ladies on some of their meeting even-
ings. He was the most comical figure when thus
covered — I can't say clothed — that anyone could
imagine. The tunic left a long margin of the
drawers visible, and his legs sticking out at the
bottom had an extremely odd effect. His face, now
that the hanging unkempt hair was cut away, was
very handsome — rather dark in complexion, with
wicked-looking black eyes, and regular features, with
$6 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET,
a saucy smile upon them, as if he perfectly understood
the way we women admired him. We threw a cloak
over him, and took him along the passage to my
lady's dressing-room. What a laugh they set up
when we entered with the queer figure amongst us.
I thought the Princesse would go into hysterics ;
and my lady and Lady C were not much better.
" What have you huddled him up like that for ? "
the Princesse said ; " I want to look at him. Come
here boy — don't be afraid ! "
" I'm not afraid," he said stupidly, though not shyly
glancing at her white hands as she busied herself
about the neck of his dress.
And I don't think he was, though he seemed rather
bewildered at the splendour of the room and the ladies'
dresses. He stared at the Princesse in open-mouthed
astonishment as she undid fastening after fastening
till the whole of his queerly-assorted dress fell off ex-
cept the drawers, leaving the ladies at liberty to com-
ment as they would upon his well-developed form.
And they did comment without the least restraint,
TRAINING A PAGE. 57
and I could see that the boy understood some of their
remarks at least, for a bright blush rose to his face
more than once, and a smile mantled on his rosy lips
and flashed into his saucy eyes. The ladies began to
teach him on the spot, all naked as he was, how to
bow and how to use his arms, and I could see that
the mischievous little Princesse took a sly delight in
passing her dainty hands down his shapely legs and
putting his feet into position. While she was stooping
to do this the boy more than once made a movement
as though he would touch her white shoulders, but. I
suppose, fear kept him quiet, for he withdrew his hand
as quickly as he had raised it. When they had amused
themselves with him till they were tired, I was bidden
to take him away and see him bestowed for the night
" Bring him to my dressing room in the morning,"
the Princesse said ; " Fifine will tell you when I am
ready."
" And don't'teach him anything but his duties,"
snapped out Lady C- . " He'll be a pretty apt
scholar at any sort of mischief, or I'm very much mis.
taken."
58 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
I spent a good deal of the evening in trying to
teach him how to salute the ladies, how to enter a
room, how to present anything kneeling, &c., &c., and
I am bound to say 1 found him a very apt pupil. He
was naturally graceful, and as long as he did not open
his mouth he did very well; when he did he spoiled
the effect of everything with his dreadful Touraine
patois. However, one cannot do everything at once,
and it was something to have him clean and willing
to learn. I made him let me trim his hair, and brush
and part it, and really he had a lovely head when it
was done. Fifine came to us after a while with a blue
and silver suit, in a kind of Swiss style, which she said
Her Highness said he was to wear ; and just to see how
he looked, we dressed him in it. My dear, he looked
like an old picture, with the dainty lace ruffles falling
over his hands, and the silk stockings shewing the
form and muscle of his legs. It made us all hug him
and kiss him, even bony old Saunders, to whom he
gave such a bearish hug in return that he fairly
frightened her ; he was gentler to Fifine and me, but
then we had not whipped him. I wondered what he
would think when he was introduced to the Princesse
at her toilet ; she was like some of the women I have
TRAINING A PAGE. 59
often read about, who look upon their men-servants
as though they were dumb animals, instead of human
creatures gifted with eyes and senses. She would
have her pages in her dressing-room, and make them
wait upon her at all stages of her toilet ; I thing she
liked to see their eyes fixed upon her shapely limbs
and to know that even those boys admired her. She
had parted with one who had been a great favourite
for some time just before she picked up this lad
and I could see that she meant to install him in the
vacant position. I saw that he was properly dressed
in the morning, and gave him two or three more
lessons before Fifine came for him, so that he really
did not enter the presence of the Princesse so very
awkwardly as might have been expected. He started
a little at the sight at her, for she had only just left
her bath, and was lying back in a soft fauteuil, with
nothing on but a delicately embroidered chemise and
a soft flannel peignoir, which was unfastened all down
the front. Fifine was rubbing her legs, and putting
on the quilted satin slippers without heels, which lay
ready for her pretty feet. They were of rose colour
to match the trimming of the peignoir, and had
diamonds in the rosettes.
60 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" Stop," said Her Highness, as Fifine took up the
shoes, " let him try his hand."
He looked rather bewildered, but I whispered him
to kneel on one knee as I had taught him, and he did
it much less clumsily than might have been expected.
He took the dainty slipper, looking admiringly at the
brilliant which flashed and sparkled in the firelight,
and slipped it on to the white foot which Her High-
ness rested on his knee for the purpose.
" Very well done ! " she said, laughing, " We shall
make him a model page after all. Why, the little
wretch ! "
The last exclamation was followed by a smart box
on the ear, which sent her new attendant ofT his
balance, and laid him sprawling on the soft hearthrug.
Not content with the contact of his finger tips with
her soft skin, he had the audacity to bend his head
over her foot and kiss it. I think she was more
amused than angry, though she had him punished on
the spot
TRAINING A PAGE. 6l
" You shall whip him, Anson," she said, " and I
have a great mind to whip vou for teaching him too
fast, — you girls have been allowing him too much
liberty, I can see."
I begged and protested, and she laughed and let
me off, only saying that she foresaw trouble in store
for me, if that was the way I was going to instruct
my scholar. She made Fifine undress the boy and
hold him across an ottoman, while I whipped him.
He struggled and kicked at first, but not as he had
done the evening before, and did not seem to care
about having his trousers taken down at all. The
Princesse looked at him with eager eyes, as his fine
shapely limbs were thus exposed, and seemed half
inclined to take the rod herself, but she didn't, and I
was glad of it, for I longed to whip the prettiest boy
I had ever seen. The first stroke of the rod sent
him rolling on the floor, and made him roar out for
mercy ; but Fifine managed to hold him so that I
could get at him, and a sound whipping he got, I can
tell you. It was very funny to see him dance, and
kick :when at length the Princesse signed to me to
leave off, he was all over the room by fits and starts,
62 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
howling and gasping like a wild animal. It was a
good while before we could get his clothes fastened
on again, he writhed so under the smart, but he has
got used to it now. Her Highness made him begher
pardon which he did with a face so blubbered with
crying that she could do nothing but laugh at him,
and then bade me take him away. When we were
out in the passage, I asked him how he liked that
part of his duties, and the little wretch actually
winked at me Che had got over his smarts by this
time), and said,
" I don't mind it much, I shan't care at all next
time."
" Oh yes, you will."
" No I shan't if she does it."
" Who's she ? Fifine ? "
" No,— the lady."
" You audacious little scamp, do you think Her
Highness would touch you ? "
TRAINING A PAGE. 63
" I'm sure she will."
I can give you no idea of the manner in which
that imp of a boy spoke ; truly there wasn't much I
could teach him. I thought to myself, u you'll get
plenty of whipping, my fine fellow," and he did.
Many a flogging I gave him in the week that followed
with Fifine's help, and the rascal always paid us with
kisses. We got very fond of him, notwithstanding his
impertinence, for he was quick vvitted, and very teach-
able and affectionate, in spite of his vanity ; and long
before his new clothes came home he was as vain as
a peacock. It was about a week before the clothes
came that were ordered from Paris for him, and all
that time he was going about in queer fancy costumes,
fairly turning our heads by his beauty. I don't think
any boy was ever made so much of in so short a time.
The livery was deep blue velvet with frosted silver
buttons, the finest of shirts and cravats, silk socks,
and thin kid boots — the Princesse could not bear
anything like creaking soles, and tolerated only the
thinnest of soles about her rooms. After a little while
she made no account whatever of having him in her
rooms : she would let him go about her bedroom and
64 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
hand her coffee before she was out of bed, and she
rarely made her morning toilet without him. The
first time she whipped him herself was about a month
after she had first taken a fancy to him ; I had done
it often in her presence, and she had once or twice
taken the rod and given him a few cuts, but she had
never regularly whipped him with all the ceremonies.
He had been very saucy to Fifiue and me for a whole
day, and he finished up his impudence by giving my
lady an impertinent answer when she spoke to him
in the evening. The Princesse was by, and she
ordered him out of the room, saying quietly, ' I
shall whip you to-morrow, Gustave." She kept her
word : the next morning Gustave and myself were
sommoned by Fifine to her mistress' dressing room.
You're both going to get it ! " said the girl, with fun in
her eyes, " Gustave here for being rude, and you
Anson, for letting him be so." ♦
"Then you ought to get a double allowance/' I
said spitefully, for I was annoyed ; "he gets all his
monkey tricks and wicked ways from you."
11 Not quite all — but I dare say I shall get my full
TRAININCx A PAGE. 65
share some time ; anyhow, I'm only going to assist
to-day. Come along, we're to be Roman ladies' maids
this morning, but the room's warm, thank goodness."
How I hated that freak the ladies had taken into
their heads of making us wait upon them, just with
one single article on, ready for any chance cut they
might take a fancy to give us. However, they paid
us for their vagaries, and it didn't matter much. We
were soon equipped in the dresses the Princesse had
chosen for us to wear, and they weren't much. Fifine
and I had short tunics without sleeves, and sandals on
our feet. The boy's costume was even more scanty,
for he had nothing but a skirt which barely reached
to his knees, and no body whatever. I dreaded the
whipping, for I knew how the Princesse could use the
rod ; but there was no appeal, for my lady had given
me over to her entirely, in the matter of Gustave, to
do as she liked with me. The room was deliciously
warm when we entered, and the air was fragrant with
fresh scent. Fifine left us, while she went to attend
her mistress in her bath. The door of the room was
half open, and we could hear the splashing of the
water, and now and then see the petite figure of the
E
66 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
Princesse as she flung her round limbs about in the
perfumed water. The boy watched with greedy eyes ;
he seemed to have forgotten all about the punishment
that was coming, in gazing at a sight so new to him.
Presently the lady came in, wrapped in a large soft
sheet, and reclined upon a couch, while Fifine rubbed
and powdered her, removing the cap which had pro-
tected her magnificent hair, and letting it fall all about
her shoulders. Then she attired her lady in a chemise
of the finest lawn, with trimmings of Valenciennes lace
and rose-coloured satin ribbon, and drawers, with lace
ruffles at the bottom. Her feel-, and legs were left
bare, only a pair of blue satin slippers, without heels,
being slipped upon her blue-veined feet. Over all she
had a loose robe of pale blue flannel, trimmed with
white lace and satin ; it was left open in front, and
fell away from her knees, leaving her legs exposed.
When all this was done, our penance began. The
Princesse was in the mood for arranging fanciful
toilettes that morning, and sundry pairs of stockings
and parcels of boots lay ready to be inspected. A
large case had arrived from Paris for her the day
before, and she had not gone over its contents yet.
Gustave was made to kneel down on the ground in
TRAINING A PAGE. 67
front of the sofa, and support a round mirror, before
which the wilful little lady had elected to try on the
silken hose and dainty boots. I had a double office —
to see that the boy kept still, and to hand the things
to Fifine, who put them on her mistress.
The boy knelt very patiently while the contents of
the case were one by one examined. He was evi-
dently dazzled by the splendour of the costly dresses
that Fifine took out one by one and laid upon the
couches and chairs. The Princesse had declared she
was getting " quite shabby," and had ordered quite a
relay of toilettes, and stockings and boots to match.
Some dozen pairs of the most exquisite silken hose, and
as many different kinds of boots, had been sent, and
every one of these did she make her maid put on, and
then hang the corresponding dress to see if they
properly matched. To my mind, the prettiest of the
dresses was rather a singular one, and one which, at first
sight, seemed unsuited to the Princesses style of beauty
It was a short walking toilet, of green and mauve ;
the dress and jacket were of emerald green silk, very
thick and soft, trimmed and piped with bright mauve
satin ; the petticoat was of mauve satin, with green
68 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET,
trimming ; and the hat was a combination of the two
colours, with a white feather ; stockings of green silk,
with a narrow mauve stripe ; and fine kid boots, half
Hessians, with gold buttons and tassels, completed the
costume. The lace of the sleeves and chemisette was
the most costly guipure, of an antique pattern, which
accorded well with the quaint style of the whole dress.
When she had the stockings and boots on she was
delighted with the effect.
" They are the prettiest of the whole ! " she said in
ecstasy. " Everyone said I should look hideous in
green and mauve, and just see there ! "
Fifine threw the dress across her knees, and set the
coquettish little hat on the top of her dishevelled hair,
that she might see the effect of the colours against
her brunette complexion. Certainly the result was
ravishing.
" Take them away," she said ; " I'll wear that dress
this very morning to the croquet party. I'll put it on
as soon as ever I have whipped that boy. Put down
that glass, sir, and take off my boots."
TRAINING A PAGE. 69
Not only her boots but the stockings did she make
him take off, and he made no mistakes this time ; it
was wonderful how quickly he had adapted himself to
his new position, and acquired the little arts and graces
so necessary to the making of a lady's page. This
done, she made him bring the rod and kiss it, delivering
it to her upon his knees. To prepare him was the
work of a minute : it was only to fasten up the skirt
he wore round his neck, and there he was almost
naked. Strangely enough, he made no protestations
on entering, but a queer light came into his eyes as
the lady's hand passed over his bare shoulder, with a
gesture that was almost a caress. Fifine and I held
him down over the ottoman, and her highness ad-
ministered a sound flogging to him, measuring every
stroke with a precision that I knew from experience
only made the smart the harder to bear. He roared
enough now, and writhed and twisted, till at length,
after some dozen blows, he fairly struggled himself
free of our hands, and slipped on to the floor. Then
he clasped the Princesse's feet, twining his arms round
her bare ankles, and looking up into her face, implored
her pardon. She did not grant it till she had given
him a good many rapid stinging blows, and then she
fO MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
allowed him to get up. In spite of his roariDg and
crying, I could see that the boy liked the discipline he
had received at her hands, and 1 saw his lips on her
feet too while he lay there clasping her ankles, but
she took no notice of it. When she had done with
him she would not let him go ; she seemed to like to
see him writhe and twist, and ordered him to bring
the rod once more. It was my turn now, and I knew
she was going to whip me before him, but it was no
good to say a word. She rested a little, for she was
out of breath, and then she ordered me to kneel and
kiss the rod. I could have strangled the little monster
of a page, for the sight of me being prepared for whip-
ping seemed to do his smarts a mighty deal of good,
and he ceased squealing and rubbing himself when he
saw what was going on. The Princesse made him
stand behind the sofa, with a rod in his hand, while
she whipped me, and told him if he stirred she would
turn him over to Saunders for another dose. He had
a horror of Saunders, but if she had proposed to whip
him again, or delegated the task to Fifine or me, I
verily believe he would have disobeyed her on pur-
pose. I'm sure I heard him snigger when I knelt
down, but when her highness turned sharp round,
TRAINING A PAGE. 7 1
there he was looking so preternaturally solemn that
she laughed herself, and there he stood as if he was
carved out of a block of wood while she whipped me.
I need not write of how she did it : she can whip ;
and it was all I could do not to slip down on the floor
and roll and scream as the boy had done. I managed
not to, however, and contrived to take the rod and
leave the room without crying out, but my face was
all working ; I felt it and when we got into the passage
that wretch of a boy pointed at me and burst out
laughing. I couldn't stand that, my dear, and I flew
at him and shook him, and boxed his ears till he
roared more than he had done at the Princesses
whipping. He has been respectfully afraid of me
ever since ; and though, since he has been down stairs
amongst the men, he has learned a great deal of im-
pudence, he seldom favours me with any of it. They
can't teach him much he dosen't know already, for a
more precocious boy I never saw ; and yet no one can
help liking him that comes near him.
I daresay you think, from the tone of my letter, that
I have altered my notions about whipping ; and so I
have. While it was all punishment for me, to please
/2 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
the whims of the ladies, I could not see the enjoyment
of it, or feel it rather, but now I can. Nor does the
Princesse feel half the pleasure in whipping me or
Fifine, or even any of the sisterhood, which she has
when she gets Gustave across her knee to birch him.
I've seen her pause in her whipping, and pass her
hand over his firm flesh, lecturing him the while, as if
she would prolong his punishment for her own grati-
fication, and the little wretch keeps quite quiet, and
likes it all the while. As for me — well, there, I sup-
pose I may confess it to you, but I'm fallen in love
with the boy, or something very like it. I like to
have him near me — to be able to touch him when I
choose — to caress him when I please — and, above all,
to whip him when I can find occasion : that's by no
means seldom, for he is always in mischief. I some-
times think the little wretch does all sorts of wicked
things for the sake of getting a whipping from me —
for there's no mincing the matter, my dear, he is as
fond of me as I am of him. He knows a handsome
woman when he sees her as well as anyone, and I
don't think I'm so very bad looking. My feet are as
well shaped as any lady's among them ; and the
Princesse wouldn't feel flattered if she saw how her
TRAINING A PAGE. 73
page kisses them sometimes, when I have been punish-
ing him for some of his vagaries. Ah, my dear, our
whipping escapades among ourselves, as girls, were all
very well, but there's something like enjoyment in
having a fine strapping boy always at your beck and
call, on whom you can practise when you like. There's
real pleasure in getting hold of a plump, firm boy like
that., with a skin as soft as satin, and laying him across
your knee, especially when you know that he likes it
and you. Gustave's flesh is as firm and rosy as a
baby's, and every touch of the rod raises it up in red
weals,' like you see on a finely kept horse when it is
lashed. He takes more delight in my whipping him
now than in his mistress's, and likes me better than
either her or Fifine, though the latter took his fancy
at first. Now he says she's too thin — the audacious
young scamp — and that he doesn't like scraggy women !
Pretty well that for fourteen, isn't it ? But I must
close this now ; I'm going out with my lady ; I'll
write you again soon. — Meantime, believe me.
Yours truly,
M. Anson.
LETTER V.
a remarkable religieuse.
My Dear Marion,
I've been so busy, what with all sorts of whims
my lady has taken into her head about her toilet, and
that tiresome page of the Princesse's, that I don't
seem to have had a moment to call my own. I can't
sit down for a minute in peace, but that provoking boy
is sure to burst in, either with some message from my
lady or his, or some nonsense of his own. He is as
full of tricks as a monkey, and yet we are very fond
of him. But I told you all about his beauty before,
so I won't dilate on that now : thank goodness, I
don't have quite so much trouble with him as I had,
— he minds me when he won't anyone else. I've not
seen quite so much of him this last week or two, for
another lady, staying in the house, has taken a great
fancy to him, and keeps him with her continually.
If the Princesse tires of him, as I daresay she will
sometime, he won't have much trouble in finding a
76 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
new mistress in Mme. Hautville. Mons. and Madame
Hautville are quite a recent addition to our party ;
and such a fuss as was made about their corning !
They are newly married, scarcely out of their honey-
moon, and are very rich ; the best apartments in the
chateau were given up to them, and redecorated for
their use. I was quite surprised one day to find
workmen busy in the handsome suite of rooms that
overlook the private garden, pulling down hangings,
&c, and the Count superintending with as much
interest as though it were his own bride he was going
to install there. He was always chatty and affable to
me, quite the gentleman ; and when he saw me peep
in, he called me.
" Oh, come in, Mademoiselle," he said. " We are
busy here ; Mme Hautville is blonde, and those
yellow hangings won't do at all. What do you think
of that ? "
He pointed to a great roll of purple satin damask
that lay on the ground ready for putting up. It was
lovely, fit for a queen's boudoir, and I said so, and
went away, wondering who the lady could be for
A REMARKABLE RELIGIEUSE. JJ
whom such preparations were made. I heard down-
stairs that same evening all about her. She was very
young, not more than eighteen, and had come straight
from a convent, where she had been ever since she
was a child. She had a large fortune and a magnifi-
cent trousseau, and knew nothing of the world. This
was what the servants said, and I heard the same
from the ladies, who did not seem to care much for
the addition to their ranks : I soon found out the
reason of that, — Mme. Hautville was said to be ex-
cessively religious.
" Spends whole hours shut up in her room at her
devotions/' the Princesse said to my lady over the
dressing-room fire; "thinks all amusements sinful,
and seldom speaks in society, I hear."
" She won't join us, then," Lady C said ; " and
I don't think she'll suit here at all ; the innocent and
ingenuous style is out of fashion now ; it is only baby-
faced women that can play it well."
" And that's just what she is," the Princesse said.
" Baby-faced is just the word ; at least, I judge so from
yS MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
the Count's description. She is petite, he says, with
golden hair and brown eyes, and a china pink and
white complexion."
" And her husband ? " asked my lady ; " what is he
like ? *
" Oh, I've seen him ; tall, and dark, and rather
grave looking : he is the Hautville that distinguished
himself so at the battle of Solferino ; he is a personal
friend of the emperor."
Of course every one in the chateau was on the qui
vive to see these new arrivals ; and it was a great
disappointment to us that it was dark when they
arrived. All we could see was a little muffled-up
figure lifted down out of the carriage by a tall man,
who seemed to take the utmost care of her ; there
was a valet, and a tall, rather stern-looking lady's
maid, and an immense quantity of luggage, though
that was not all, for more came the next day. There
was a little Maltese terrier like a ball of white floss
silk, and a big hound that looked tremendously fierce,
but turned out gentle enough when we came to know
A REMARKABLE REUGIEUSE. 79
him better. I hung about, when my lady had done
with me, in the hope of catching a glimpse of the new
visitor when she went downstairs, and, sure enough, I
met her leaning on the Count's arm, her husband
following. She was as lovely as they had described
her to be, and more ; such an innocent, unworldly
little face, I never saw. She looked as if she had never
had a profane or mischievous idea in her little head,
from which her golden curls hung in a manner per-
fectly bewitching. She evidently cared for no fashion
in head-dressing except what suited her best, and let
her lovely hair wave as it would. Certainly, no chig-
non or frizettes would have suited her little head ; they
would only have disfigured it. She was magnificently
dressed in rich white satin and lace, with pearls on
her neck and arms, and she looked like a little fairy
as she tripped along over the crimson floorcloth.
She was holding up her dress in front, and displayed
her dainty little feet in silver embroidered satin shoes
with high heels. I thought of what the ladies said
about her being so devout, and, indeed, her face
looked like a saint's, so pure and passionless ; but just
as she passed me, she looked up in answer to some-
thing the Count said, and I saw something besides
80 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
sanctity in her eyes. What expressive eyes they
were, melting and fiery by turns ! I did not wonder
at the intense admiration her husband seemed to feel
for her ; he looked at her as though he worshipped the
very ground she trod upon. He was a handsome, in-
tellectual-looking man, many years older than his wife,
dressed in uniform, and looking every inch a soldier
and a gentleman. I watched them down the grand
staircase with no little curiosity, and as I passed their
rooms to go back to my lady's, the door was open,
and the stern-looking maid was busy arranging her
mistress's dresses.
* Come in," she said, as I paused at the door
" You are the Princesse's own woman, are you not ? '
" No," I replied. " I am with Lady "
" Ah, it's all the same : tell me a little about the
people here ; are they sociable or stiff? I mean the
ladies and gentlemen ; I am asking for my lady, — I
always get on well enough downstairs."
I told her all about the -ladies : how they were
A REMARKABLE REMGIEUSE. 8 1
lively and affable, full of fun, aud never done with all
sorts of schemes for amusement and exercise.
" I am afraid Madame will be out of place among
them," the woman replied ; "she is so quiet, so re-
tiring— she loves to be alone in her chamber : she
spends hours there."
" What at ? " I asked.
" Her devotions," curtly replied Sophie, for that
I found, was her name. " See here."
She pulled aside a curtain, and shewed me a little
oratory newly fitted up. I thought of the look I had
seen in those soft brown eyes, and somehow or other
I doubted the devotional part of the story. I did not
say anything, but I helped her to put away the
dresses, and exquisite ones they were, too ; and we
chatted about the company and the servants' table
till we grew quite friendly. Lifting the last dress out
of an imperial, I came upon a long flat case, out
of which an end of ribbon protruded. I guessed at
once what it was ; had I' not handled such a one often
82 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
in the Princesses dressing-room ? But Sophie made
haste to put it out of sight, muttering something
about " Monsieur's fishing rod."
" Not a bit of it," I said to myself ; " Monsieur
never carried a fishing-rod in a dainty case like that,
or packed it amongst his wife's dresses. I'll watch."
I did, and pumped Sophie as well, but nothing
came of it. She was very cheerful and pleasant in
the housekeeper's room, full of praises of her master
and mistress, but somehow nothing could be got out
of her. " She had been chosen by Mme. Hautville's
guardians to be her confidential maid," she said, and
had only gone into her service on her marriage.
The ladies did not get much more out of the little
beauty herself: she was very demure and quiet, and
talked but little. She sang very sweetly, and was
willing to exhibit her accomplishments for their amuse-
ment ; but I fancy they thought her insipid, and
wearied of her quiet loveliness. With her husband
they one and all fell in love : he was charming, they
declared ; too good for her, pretty as she was. The
A REMARKABLE RELIGIEUSE. 83
little beauty reigned supreme on the first evening of
her visit, but as the time wore on they felt her
presence irksome. She was so very good they could
not launch out in conversation, while the gentlemen
sat over their wine, when she was present as they used
to do, and they were never sorry when she withdrew,
as she regularly did, to her own apartments, and left
them free to use their tongues as they listed. The
worst of it was that when she left the drawing-room
Mons. Hautville invariably vanished too, though where
he went to was a mystery. Madame always shut her-
self up in her own room, and Sophie would take her
work and seat herself in a large bay-window in the
corridor guarding the door like a female dragon.
She had the same answer for every one who asked for
her mistress.
" At her devotions," she would say, gravely, and
we were obliged to be content.
If she was asked for her master, her reply always
was that she had nothing to do with Mons. Hautville,
and if we wanted to know anything about him we
could ask Adolphe. Adolphe was the valet, and I
84 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
don't think anyone would ever ask him a second
question about his master. He was very proud and
distant, excessively polite, and that was all : we might
just as well have tried to pump a log of wood or a
stone as to get anything out of him about his master's
doings. Well, this went on for several days, Madame
appearing every day in the most ravishing toilettes
(even the Princesse could not vie with her in the matter
of dress), and every day disappearing to her devotions
in the zealous fashion which puzzled every one so
much. The ladies grew very curious, and tried to
bribe Sophie to tell what it was that made her mis-
tress so devout. Had she some dreadful sin on her
mind ? or was she vowed to so many hours a day
before the altar ? Sophie was dumb, and the ladies
declared themselves tired of inactivity : they
wanted to resume their meetings in the tabagie,
and Madame Hautville should be asked to join
them.
" And I believe she will," Madlle.St. Kitts declared ;
" there's mischief in her for all her prudish looks, and,
besides, there's more goes on in that room of hers
than prayers."
A REMARKABLE RELIGIEUSE. 85
M How do you know ? " demanded the ladies in a
breath.
" Oh, I was passing to-day. Sophie was looking out
at the window, and I heard a noise that was vastly
familiar. I don't think Mons. Hautville would have
been far to seek just then. But that grim maid came
back to her post just a minute too soon."
" We must find out — we will ! " said Lady C, " we
won't have any private practice here. Can't you
sharpen your wits, Anson ? you seem very intimate
with that silent waiting woman of Madame's."
I told the ladies that 'it was no use trying to get
anything out of Sophie ; but they bid me try, and
made me promise, on pain of punishment, to bring
them any information I could get regarding the newly
married pair. I promised ; and, my dear, I had a
story to tell before 1 expected. That very evening I
was sitting in my room mending some lace of my
lady's, when Fifine came in.
" Where's Gustave ? " she asked.
86 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" I don't know," I replied. " Who wants him ? "
"I do : I want him to go down to the lodge for me
with a note."
" I thought the Princesse said he was not to be sent
out after dark/'
" Oh, she won't know. I wonder where he can be ? '
" He's in mischief, wherever he is. I haven't seen
him since the ladies left the dining-room."
Fifine went away grumbling, and had to go her
errand herself. I sat on wondering where Gustave
could be, and what he was at, and in a few minutes
the boy burst into the room. If I wondered before, I
wondered ten times more when I saw him : his hands
and face were all smeared with green dirt, and his
clothes were torn in more than one place. Luckily
he had not on the suit he wore when attending on his
lady, but one 1 made him wear when he was not likely
to be wanted. I started up, and seized him by the
collar.
A REMARKABLE RELIGIEUSE. S7
" You little wretch," I exclaimed, " what have you
been doing ? "
His only answer was to laugh till he rolled on the
floor at my feet, and I thought he was going mad.
" Oh ho, ho ! " he cried. M Let me alone, Made-
moiselle ; I'll tell you presently. Oh, it's worth the
risk I've run ! "
" What risk ? What have you been doing ? What
will the Princesse say when she sees you ? A pretty
figure you are if she should ring for you."
" Oh, she won't ! and if she does, I'll be ready in a
minute. I say, Anson, I've found it all out."
" All what ?"
" The ' devotions.' Such fun ! Oh, my lady's a
pretty saint, and says new fangled prayers ! Ha, ha,
ha ! " and again he rolled on the floor in an ecstasy of
fun.
88 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" But where have you been ? what have you seen ? "
I asked, quite puzzled.
" I won't tell you where I've been ; but I've seen the
prayers, I tell you. Oh, wouldn't my lady and yours
like to have seen them too ! J know they don't believe
in Madame's piety, neither did I, and now I know!'
" You aggravating little brute, tell me all about it
this minute, or I'll whip you well,' I said, shaking him.
" You'll catch it for the state you've come home in,
wherever you have been. What is it that the ladies
would like to know ? "
" What I've seen to-night. I say, Anson !"
/'Well?"
M Are you game to climb a tree ? "
"Climb a tree ! "
" Yes, that's just what I've done ; and perched com-
fortably out of sight among the branches, I watched
Madame Hautville at her devotions. She didn't think
A REMARKABLE RELIGIEUSE. $9
anyone but the birds would be there, and the blinds
were not close."
So this was where he had been ; up in the large tree
which grew close to that corner of the chateau, and
from which a full view could be obtained of the Haut-
villes' rooms.
" You might try it, Anson," he said ; " I'll help you,
and I'll never tell ; old Sophie may keep the door as
she pleases, the window will serve our turn."
" But tell me what you saw, first," I said ; " I'm not
going to risk my neck to be hoaxed by you, and I be-
lieve you are telling me a pack of lies after all."
" No, on my honour, I'm not ! I've seen what the
pious lady does in her own room. She does not
trouble the Madonna much, 1 can tell you ; it's the
rod she pays her devotions to, and not the crucifix,
and beautifully she handles it too ; I was almost ready
to jump through the window and beg for a taste of it
from her hands myself, when I saw how graceful she
looked."
90 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" You audacious monkey ! But who does she whip ?"
" Who ? Why, Mons. Hautville, to be sure ! the
gentleman who always disappears so mysteriously,
and stays away from the company so long, Oh, they
are a devout pair, they are ! You should see him kiss
her hands, and arms, and her feet, and call her all sorts
of endearing names, when she has whipped him well.
Try the tree, Anson ; no one goes into that garden
after dark, and you'll never get such a chance again.
It's not hard to climb, and I'll help you up."
The lad's enjoyment of the affair was intense, and I
longed to discomfit Sophie by finding out her secret ;
and yet the idea of me, Margaret Anson, climbing up
a tree, and perhaps getting an ugly fall : how my lady
would laugh when I told her ! It was a great tempta-
tion, and at last I consented to try the next evening ;
Gustave was full of fun at the prospect.
" I couldn't have asked Fifine," he said ; "■ she would
have tumbled and screamed, and it would have been
all found out ; you may fall, but you won't scream, I
know that."
A REMARKABLE RELIGIEUSE. 91
" I don't intend to do either."
" And, I say, Anson."
" Well ? "
" If you see anything very terrible, you can shut
your eyes. Mons. and Mme. Hautville fancy they
are alone, you know."
I aimed a box at his ears, but he evaded me, and
ran off, laughing, to change his clothes, and all the rest
of the evening he was provokingly confidential, giving
me sly pinches and furtive grins, till he nearly upset
my gravity before the ladies. He was in my mistress'
room when Mme. Hautville came in, a little flushed,
but very pretty, and said " Yes," very demurely, when
some one said her exercises had been longer than
usual. I thought he would have betrayed himself
then, but he managed to hide his laughter by a cough,
for which the Princesse smacked his face, and ordered
him out of the room. Well, my dear, to make a long
story short, I actually did climb that tree the very
next night. It was a wild freak, but the temptation
92 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
was too strong to be resisted, and Gustave made
matters easy for me. I was pretty sure of a couple
of hours after dinner, and I put on a pair of trousers,
which he stole from one of the men's rooms, and my
dress skirt over them. Presently he came in.
" Come along," he said, " the prayers have begun,
and all's quiet."
Not a soul met us as we went out into the grounds
and opened the gate of the private garden. The night
was as dark as pitch, and a bright glimmer of light
came from the first floor windows. A short ladder
stood under the tree.
" Up with you," the boy whispered, " and hold on ;
it's easy after."
I wasn't a bit afraid, and in a few minutes I was
sitting on a branch, where I could see right into the
handsome room, with Gustave behind me, and this is
what we saw : Madame de Hautville, in an elegant
undress, seated on a couch, with her husband kneeling
at her feet. If she had looked handsome in full dress,
A REMARKABLE RELIGIEUSE. ■ 93
she was inexpressibly lovely now. Her feet and legs
were bare, except for the soft slippers into which her
toes were thrust ; her beautifully trimmed chemise was
very short, and was the only garment she^had on,
except a white peignoir ruffled with Valenciennes lace,
and adorned with knots of white satin ribbon. It was
tied round the waist with a sash, but was all open at
the neck, leaving her beautiful white bosom bare. A
tiny lace cap was on her head, and her hair hung in
masses over her shoulders. In her hand she held a
rod, and she was rating the kneeling figure at her feet,
with a mischievous look in her brown eyes, which re-
minded me of the first time I had seen her, when I
guessed there was something besides piety in her little
head.
" Isn't she nice," whispered the boy behind me, with
an emphasis which made me long to box his ears, had
I dared to stir. " Look at her hands and arms, and
her neck, ah ! "
" Hold your tongue," I whispered ; " you can talk
by-and-bye," and he was quiet for a bit. Presently
Mons. Hautville appeared to supplicate, and kissed
94 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
the hands and feet of the little tyrant on the couch to
no purpose — he was made to prepare for punishment
by turning up the embroidered dressing-gown he
wore. He had no more clothes on than his wife ;
and Gustave gave me a vicious pinch as we watched
him thus prepare for the punishment we had both
of us felt so often.
" Wait till we get down/' I said to him, " and I'll
give you such a taste of the rod as you won't forget."
And I did — but that's neither here nor there now.
When Mons. Hautville had received his punish-
ment, he took his pretty wife in his arms, and half
smothered her with kisses — finally getting the rod
from her, and threatening her with it as he would a
child. Then ensued a singular scene. She got away
from him, and he chased her round the room, she
every now and then defying him in a pretty saucy
fashion, perfectly bewitching to see. At last he
caught her, and, laying her across his knee, he
whipped her as she had done him, using the rod
lightly enough, but still raising red marks on the firm
white hips. What more we might have seen I don't
A REMARKABLE RELIGIEUSE. 95
know, for just as he threw down the rod, and folded
her in his arms, crack went the branch on which we
were sitting, and we narrowly escaped a terrible fall.
It did not break, and we managed to get down on to
the next limb of the tree safely ; but the noise had
been heard, and out went the lights in the room above.
We hardly dared to breathe, for the window opened,
and Mons. Hautville put out his head.
" It is nothing," we heard him say ; " there is no
one in the garden."
You may be sure we lost no time in getting away,
though I did not escape without a fall after all ; I
slipped off the ladder and fell among some shrubs,
which scratched my face and hands terribly. I was
a horrid fright when I got to my own room, and
not all the washing and bathing I could give them
would clear the scratches away. My lady questioned
me so closely when I went to undress her, that I was
obliged to tell her, though, of course, I did not say a
word about Gustave. I let her think that I had
thought of the tree myself, and scrambled up without
any help. How she did laugh, to be sure, and sent
96 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
for the Princesse to tell her. That lovely little lady
declared she would see for herself ; and the very next
time that Madame Hautville retired in the evening,
she and Madlle. St. Kitts went amissing too, and
reappeared later, with very flushed faces, and a great
inclination to laugh whenever they confronted the
handsome soldier and his demure little wife. All sorts
of guesses were hazarded as to where they were, but
no one but my lady and me knew that they were up a
tree in the private garden, watching the pranks of the
bride and bridegroom. Poor M. Hautville must have
wondered what made all the ladies laugh when they
met him : I think the Count guessed something very
near the truth, for his eyes always twinkled when the
lady's devotions were spoken of. The sisterhood did
not leave her alone long : my lady soon managed to let
her know that her passion for the rod was known, and
though she was terribly puzzled to think how it could
have leaked out, she acknowledged it, and was re-
ceived with acclamations at the next meeting in the
tabagie as a right worthy sister of the Order. She
is first and foremost in their vagaries now, and has a
capital head for inventing any new nonsense for them
to practise. I sometimes think she suspects Gustave
A REMARKABLE RELIGIEUSE, 97
and me, but anyhow she is very fond of the lad, who,
on his part, seems to admire her almost as much as
his real mistress, the Princesse. As for the Count, he
suspects I know, for the other day he met me in the
corridor, and put two Napoleons in my hand.
" To buy plaster for your face," he said ; " myrtle
twigs scratch horribly ; " and then he laughed, and
went away.
Now, it was right into a clump of myrtles I fell, so
he must know ; but how ? Ah, well, he can hold his
tongue, and so can I ; and I shan't trouble myself
about it. I'll tell you if ever he says any more to
me : meantime, believe me,
Your sincere friend,
M. Anson.
LETTER VI.
preparing for a sensation.
My Dear Marion,
I told you Mme. Hautviile joined the St.
Bridget Society after the ladies found out that she
practised the rod, but I did not tell you that Madlle.
St. Kitts, who went up the tree with the Princesse to
see what went on, had already been received as a mem-
ber of the Order. The discussion was long among
the ladies, as to whether young people should be
admitted at all ; but they wanted a fresh sensation,
and they agreed to admit her. It was a secret from
most of them, and caused a great sensation when the
President rose up in her place and announced that
another lady desired admission to their Order. She
did it with all due ceremony : I guessed what was
coming, though I could see many of the ladies did
not. Several of them had grown-up daughters, and had
entirely negatived the scheme of allowing the girls to
IOO MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
join their meetings. The young ladies were very very
curious, as you may imagine, and used to torment
their mammas terribly to tell them what went on in the
tabagie of an evening. Many a present I might have
had, many a pretty dress and bit of jewellery, if I would
have revealed the secret of those meetings ; but I kept
my word, for the ladies made it worth my while. The
night of the whipping of the Princesse Z , after
she returned to the room (which, as I said in my last,
she did, though flushed and feverish), and the ladies
had refreshed themselves with wine and cake, Lady
C rose up and said —
" Ladies, — Sisters of the Order of St. Bridget, I hold
in my hand a requisition addressed to me, as President
of this meeting, which I beg to lay before you ; another
lady, staying in this house, is desirous of joining our
Order."
The ladies looked at one another, wondering who it
could be ; there were only one or two married ladies
left out, besides the old maids and the girls,
" Can it be Miss Sowerby ?" my lady whispered to
PREPARING FOR A SENSATION. IOI
the Princesse ; " or Madlle. Loupe ? there's no one
else."
" I wish it may be," she replied, with a laugh ; " to
see either of them whipped would be great fun."
The spectacle of either of the ladies mentioned
under the rod would have been edifying indeed.
They were both of the pure genus old maid, forty, but
neither fat nor fair — scraggy and parchment coloured
both of them. But it was neither of these. " Silence,
ladies, if you please ! " the President said from her
chair, unfolding a note and reading. " Madlle. Geral-
dine Hilda St Kitts presents her compliments to the
sisters of the Order of St. Bridget, and begs the
honour of admittance to their society. Madlle. St.
Kitts is ready to take the oath of the Order, and to
submit to the usual initiation."
The ladies looked at one another in dismay. That
Madlle. knew something was evident ; but what and
how ? I remembered when I heard the note that she
was almost the only one of the young ladies who had
not plied me with questions about the doings of the
102 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
eveniugs when we met in the tabagie ; but wherever
she got her information it was not from me, and I am
sure Stephens stood in too much awe of what might
befall her to speak, however much she would have
enjoyed playing the tell-tale on the ladies who had
castigated her so severely. We were closely ques-
tioned, and every lady had the oath of St. Bridget
administered to her afresh, but no one had broken
confidence, and they were all fairly puzzled. Then
Lady C put the question,
" How say you., ladies ? Shall we admit Geraldine
Hilda St. Kitts into our merry Order, or shall we
not ? "
One or two said " no," but the majority were in
favour of the candidate being admitted, and it was
settled that she should be introduced the next even-
ing, when they were to meet if it was wet ; if it was
fine there was to be a pic-nic in the day, and they
would come home too fatigued for their ceremonies.
" But if we admit her" Mrs D suggested, " the
other young ladies will claim it as a right ; and I muts
PREPARING FOR A SENSATION. 103
candidly confess I should not like my girl to be intro-
duced."
" Nor I mine," said Lady C . " We must manage
to frighten her into secresy somehow/'
" I have it," said the merry Princesse Z . " Let us
horse her like they do boys. A couple of footmen
would be famous."
u Footmen, Madame ! " said Lady C , majesti-
cally ; " admit men here ! Impossible, you forget
what you are saying, I am sure."
" Oh dear no, I don't," the little beauty answered,
gaily ; "and if the ladies. assembled will allow me to
address them sitting (for potent reasons I don't feel
very well able to stand up again just now), I will
explain what 1 mean in a very few words."
Lady C graciously assented, and the little lady
laid before the meeting a plan from which she thought
a great deal of fun might be extracted — viz : that for
the future, ladies undergoing punishment should be
horsed upon the back of another who, upon that
104 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
occasion, should be dressed in livery. She further
proposed that the livery should be the punishment
for slight offences against the rules of the club, and
that failing any offender in the requisite degree, it
should be worn ay Stephens or myself. " And if we
don't frighten Madlle. St. Kitts, it is a pity," she con-
cluded, amidst much laughter and applause.
The ladies thought her scheme a very good one ;
but there was a difficulty — the livery : they could not
apply to the Count for it, nor could they very well
have it made, for fear of exciting remark. Mrs
D rose and called the attention of the meeting
to this fact.
The Princesse declared that she had thought of that
before making the proposal.
" In the luggage that came for me to-day," she said,
" there should be new liveries for my two men. I will
have the unpacking done by my maid, and if the
clothes are there, I shall confiscate them for our use ;
if not, we shall have to fall back upon the moyenage
stores in the old lumber-room up-stairs, though the
PREPARING FOR A SENSATION. 105
dresses won't be so good. The girl will see through
the masquerade at once/'
The ladies drew lots who were to enact the footmen
on the ensuing night, and the lots fell to my lady and
the Princesse herself, who declared that she must be a
page, for she should be lost in a man's suit. So the
other footman was turned over to a German Countess,
who was tall and bony, and the rest of the ladies
declared for appearing in Watteau dresses, half as
men, and half as women. There were a quantity of
costumes at their disposal, besides there own splendid
wardrobes, and they knew they could make a fine
display. I believe they all wished for a wet day, and
wet, sure enough, it was — no chance of any out-door
amusement. I had the note of acquiescence for
Madlle. St. Kitts entrusted to me to deliver, desiring
her to be in her room at a certain hour, when she
would be fetched. She laughed when she read it,
and said, gaily, to me — M Is it very dreadful, Anson ?
Come, there's no harm in telling noiv) you know.''
But I wouldn't. I did so want to enjoy her asto-
nishment, and, as well as the ladies, I had a fancy for
106 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
seeing her whipped. She was a round, petite creature,
very dark, almost a mulatto (indeed, she was of West
Indian descent), with a clear, healthy red in her brown
cheeks, and sparkling black eyes. There was a good
deal of the negro about her hair, which was short and
frizzy, but very piquant-looking for all that, and her
skin was the softest and glossiest I ever saw in a
brunette.
" What must I wear, Anson ? " she asked me when
she had read the letter.
" Well, Miss, the less the better when you first go
down; you can put on what you like after you have been
admitted : the ladies mostly wear fancy costumes."
" The less the better, eh ? " she said, with a merry
twinkle of her black eyes. u Well, Anson, I have been
in countries where ladies consider a necklace and a
nose-ring the extreme of full dress for the finest court
ceremonial. Is that the style of costume you would
recommend ? "
" Well, not exactly, Miss," I replied, laughing. " But
it is a style that has its recommendations, for all that."
PREPARING FOR A SENSATION. IO?
" H'm 1 I think I understand," she said ; " but I
don't mean to adopt it on this occasion. I know
more than you think for about St. Bridget and her
votaries, and I'll wear a suitable costume, never fear."
" You don't know everything,'' I thought to myself,
as I left the room, laughing to think of the fright that
awaited the young lady, if no hitch happened to mar
the programme laid down for the evening. Madlle. St.
Kitts was very rich, and thought nothing of expense
and towards evening she sent for me again.
" Will you dress me, A nson," she asked, " when
your lady has done with you ? it won't take you long,
and I don't choose my maid to know anything about
it. I've found a dress, and if I don't astonish your
ladies as much as they mean to astonish me, my
name's not Hilda."
Of course my lady gave me leave, and about eight
o'clock I went to her dressing-room. There, laid out
on the couch, was an exquisite tunic of amber satin,
spangled and embroidered with silver and blue, and a
pair of sandals to match ; a cupid's dress, in short,
evidently made for a fancy ball.
Io8 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" Will thai do?" she asked. " Minus the stockings,
of course : you see, I know all about it."
I helped to dress her in it, and the effect was very
fine. She had bathed, and her maid had attired her
in a short chemise, exquisitely fine, and trimmed with
the finest lace, with a narrow blue satin ribbon running
round the top, and rosettes here and there along the
ruche. Her hair was arranged to produce the best
effect her short curls would allow, and a ribbon of
blue and silver was run through it very artistically ;
her maid had evidently good taste, and she looked
very bright and beautiful. As she threw off her soft
dressing-gown, and stood with her beautiful limbs
fully displayed, I could well understand the ladies
wishing to handle their rods in her behalf. Her com-
plexion was almost as dark as a bronze statue, but
shapely as any Venus that ever was sculptured. Her
exquisite little foot rose at the instep with the true
Arab bend, leaving only the toe and heel to rest upon
the ground, looking almost too small for her childish
stature. Her ankle was as slim, and her calf as perfect
in shape, as any leg that ever was modelled by artist
or extolled by painter, and the texture of her glossy
PREPARING FOR A SENSATION. IO9
\
skin was the admiration of all who saw only as much,
and that is not little now-a-days, as ball-room costume
shews. It was a real pleasure to dress such a dainty
bit of Nature's handiwork (such a contrast as she was
to mv lady), needing neither powders nor creams to
improve her complexion, nor any tight shoes or high
heels to improve her thoroughbred little foot. The
soft flesh rose up plump and soft between the straps of
the sandals, firm and smooth as her round cheeks, and
the beautiful leg looked more beautiful than ever when
the high straps, with their glittering pendants, were
clasped round it. Real diamonds glittered in the true
blue rosettes which adorned the front of the sandals,
and in the blue trimming of the tunic, as well as being
worn in a thin line round her neck. A prettier Cupid
never was seen in fairy extravaganza than that girl
with her negro blood, when she was dressed for her
initiation into the ladies' secret club. The tunic
reached just to the knee, and had a half body of
the same colour, which contrasted well with the bright
satin ; round her waist was a deep crimson scarf
with gold embroidery, neither long nor wide, but
sufficient to add another well contrasting colour to
the whole, She surveyed herself with a good deal of
IIO MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
satisfaction in the cheval glass when her dress was
complete.
11 It is a barbarous mixture of colouring," she said#
'* No civilized creature would venture upon it ; but I'm
only half civilized. I'm ready for them now, whenever
they like to send."
The ladies were quite ready, and I was soon sum-
moned to my place : my costume for that evening
was in the Watteau style, only plainer than the ladies
— chintz and delaine taking the place of their silks
and satins. My lady, in her footman's costume of
blue and gold, and her powdered wig, looked so like a
man that I quite started when I entered the room,
although I had helped her to put it on. Gustave
assisted at my toilette ; the Princesse liked to have
him at hers, and she sometimes complained that he
was awkward, so I took him to my room to practise.
I taught him how to put everything on, to fasten
hooks and buttons, to hold a hand-glass, to tie san-
dals, and everything I could think of. My lady told
me to choose a pair of garters for this evening from
a box which had come from Paris for her, as my
PREPARING FOR A SENSATION. Ill
Watteau skirt was short, and I made him try them
all on for me. You have no idea what beautiful
things some of them were ; velvet and satin, with
mottoes and flowers embroidered on them in gold
and silver, and rosettes, with real gems in them, and
long fringed ends hanging down a couple of inches or
so. I chose a ruby and silver pair embroidered with
fleur-de-lis, and he put them on for me, telling me he
was sure none of the ladies could shew a prettier leg
than me, and, indeed, I think he is right : I always
garter above the knee, and that is one secret of
keeping the leg a good shape ; your knee loses its
roundness if the garter is below it. I think Gustave
half guessed what was going on in the tabagie ; and,
indeed, the Princesse once proposed that they should
admit him, and make use of him, but the ladies were
afraid that he would not hold his tongue. I think he
would ; he knew the worth of his place. His mis-
tress dressed him magnificently ; he had suits for
every possible occasion — for walking, for riding, for
waiting on his lady at her toilette, and for being in
attendance in the evening. For her dressing-room he
had a loose suit of white cashmere trimmed with
crimson, and a crimson sash — a sort of Greek dress
112 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
in which he looked lovely ; and when the other ladies
borrowed him, as they very often did, they liked to
see him in it. It was soft and colourless and did not
clash with their magnificent toilettes. As for the
demure little Mme. Hautville, she was continually
having him in her room, and would have him help to
dress her from the very beginning ; he told me one
day that he had seen her in her bath. She was a
most luxurious little lady ; her bath was lined with
magnificently painted porcelain, and the room panelled
with looking-glass, and hung with dark blue silk, which
contrasted finely with her fair complexion and golden
hair. She was fond of seeing herself reflected end-
lessly in the mirrors, and would dally in the water
like a mermaid, splashing the scented drops about
like a pleased child, She was the veriest little hypo-
crite that ever breathed, with her piety and her
prayers. But all this is not to the purpose : I was
going to tell you about Madlle. St. Kitts' initiation ;
I shall have to hold it over till next time. Till then,
believe me,
Your sincere friend,
M. Anson,
PREPARING FOR A SENSATION. i 1 3
P.S- — My lady is gone out with the Count and
Mrs. D. , so that I have a bit more time to myself.
I've been looking over your letter, and I see I haven't
answered your question about Lady C 's queer
maid, Stephens. Who was she ? you ask ; and did
you ever know her ? Well, I don't think you ever
did, and 'tisn't much of a treat to know her now, for
she's a cross-grained old thing, in a general way. We
got at her story quite by accident ; we were talking
about whipping one night over the fire, and she said —
" I told my mistress I never had anything to do
with the rod till I came to her, but that was a fib ; I
helped at a fine flogging once."
" Oh, tell us about it," Fifine said. " Who was
flogged, and who did it ? "
" It was our ballet master at the Theatre Royal,
Z ."
" The what ?" said Fifine, opening her round eyes
till they nearly cracked, and staring at Stephens as
though she were a ghost.
114 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
•' The theatre," she replied composedly. " I wasn't
always old and ugly, Mademoiselle, and there was a
time when I could dance with the best ; I was in the
ballet there."
Fifine's astonishment was ludicrous to behold, and
Stephens went on, —
" Would you like to know what I was like in those
days ? I can shew you ; I kept my portrait, not from
any vanity, for it is not pleasant to look at the ghost
of your youth, but for other reasons."
She went off to her room, and presently came back
with a miniature, painted heaven knows how long ago,
of a very passable-looking girl in ballet costume.
" That was me," she said, " though you mightn't
think it ; and it was while I was engaged at Z that
I first felt the whip. It was the custom in the Ger-
man theatres then, and may be now for aught I can
tell, for the ballet master to have the entire control of
the ladies in his department, and pretty strict he had
to be, I can tell you. The Grand Duke was very
PREPARING FOR A SENSATION. 1 1 5
particular about the ballet, and would detect the
slightest inaccuracy in the dancing, or the least speck
upon our tights or skirts. No expense was spared
upon our costume, and every night, when we were
dressed, we were passed in review before the manager
and the ballet master, to see that we were properly
attired. The latter used to hold a private inspection
of his own first, and this we specially hated, the
English girls particularly, who were not used to that
kind of surveillance. He carried a rod, a lithe thin
thing that cut unmercifully, and if he saw the slightest
spot or crimple, swish it would come across our legs or
hips, making us jump and smart for long enough after.
One evening he was peculiarly aggravating— hardly one
of us escaped a cut ; he had us up before his chair, one
by one, and inspected our head-dress, our ornaments,
our skirts, shoes, everything. Then would come the
order, " Raise your skirts, Mademoiselle ; " and up
they had to go, till he could see every bit of our
tights right up to our waists. There were no drawers
and tacked petticoats as are worn in England ; nothing
but the bare silk, which was of the very best, and
looked thoroughly glossy and good. He was out of
Il6 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
temper that night, and no one got off scot free. One
or two of us he slapped with his hand, and I was one
of them. He declared that the seams of my tights
were crooked, and gave me a sounding slap ; the girls
tittered, and I sprang back, hardly understanding a
word of what he said to me, when he pulled me across
his knee, just as if I had been a child, and beat me
with his broad fat hand till I hardly knew what I was
doing. It was lucky for me that I had time to
recover myself a little, or I should have got a repri-
mand from the manager for being flurried. It was
no use complaining ; the ballet master was omni-
potent in his department ; but we resolved to have
our revenge, and laid our plans accordingly. The
next day was an off day at the theatre, but we had to
be there for some trifling practice, and we knew the
place would be clear of all but ourselves. We behaved
with the utmost discretion, and went through our
work " like angels " he was pleased to say. After it
was over he went into the green-room, and stood
there for a minute or two alone. Now was our op-
portunity, and we seized it ; two of the biggest and
bravest amongst us stole in behind him, and flung a
thick cloak over his head and face ; he was a little
PREPARING FOR A SENSATION. 117
man, and we were more than a match for him when
once his eyes were blinded. In a very little while we
had him blindfolded and hand-fast on the floor, writh-
ing and howling, as only Frenchmen can, for mercy
He knew perfectly well who we were, but, of course,
could identify no one in particular, and he alternately
implored and threatened in the most comical manner.
First he would call us ' his angels," and declare he
would never touch one of us again as long as he lived,
and then we were little devils, and oh, how he would
be revenged ! I don't think he really knew what we
were going to do till he felt our hands unfastening his
clothes, and then it was all we could do, between our
own merriment and his struggles, to get him prepared
for the punishment we intended for him. At last we
managed it, and got him pulled across a chair, and
held tight down ready for the rod. And didn't we
whip him ! We had a lissom whip just like his own,
and it passed from hand to hand with a will. We
laid it on his yellow skinny hips till we were as tired
with laughing and whipping as he was with struggling
and shrieking. We left him there writhing and smart-
ing, to recover himself as he could, and went home
At night he had to call upon the manager, but sent
Il8 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
an excuse saying he was ill, and the next day at
rehearsal he was singularly stiff and awkward in his
movements. " He had met with a slight accident ''
was the story he told, and though every one in the
theatre knew the real state of the case, tbey were
obliged to listen gravely. It did him good, and he
pocketed the affront, and we girls came off better for
having had spirit enough to resent his ill-tempered
chastisements. And that was where I first saw the
rod used, girls : and it wasn't yesterday, I can tell you."
" I should think not," said Fiflne, wickedly, when
Stephens was gone. " It must have been a good
many yesterdays ago : to think of that old crab ever
having been anything so wicked as a ballet girl ! "
I haven't time to tell you anything about Fifine
this time ; I'll do it in my next. She chatters away
without any reserve about her experiences, and they
have been funny ones. Good bye for the present,
and mind you write soon to your affectionate,
M. Anson.
LETTER VII.
THE WHIPPING OF CUPID.
My Dear Marion,
I can guess how impatiently you have
waited for the rest of my story about Madlle. St.
Kitts, and how she fared with the Order of St. Bridget.
The Watteau dresses were a great success, but they
were obliged to abandon the idea of half the ladies
dressing as gentlemen for want of sufficient costumes
of the style required ; but they made up for it by the
variety of colours, and the piquancy of their costumes,
Lady C , old an ugly as she was, really looked
handsome as she took her seat. She wore a tuck-up
skirt of rich green satin over a crimson brocade skirt,
and her hair was dressed and powdered under a hat
of white chip, trimmed with crimson roses and green
ribbons. Mrs D 's costume was dark blue over a
maize skirt, which suited the Saxon style of her
features and the colour of her hair exactly. But
120 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
the greatest success was the two footmen, who stood,
with the utmost gravity, on each side of the dais.
They were both tall women, so that they looked
middle-sized men, and their costume was perfect —
high-heeled buckled shoes, silk stockings, white knee-
breeches and waistcoats, and blue coats, edged with
gold cord, and immense gold shoulder knots and tags.
They wore white wigs, and looked a very well-matched
pair of aristocratic footmen. The taste of the Prin-
cesse in her liveries was everywhere remarked — they
were thoroughly distinguished looking, without being
in the least gaudy. As for the little lady herself, it
was her freak to appear as a page, and, in a suit of
claret-coloured velvet, with sugar-loaf silver buttons,
she looked the very incarnation of mischievous im-
pertinence. Her dark hair was parted on one side,
and rolled up into boyish-looking curls, and her tiny feet
were encased in patent leather bottines of exquisite fit
and shape. Her entrance caused a burst of laughter
and applause ; indeed, some of the ladies started, half
afraid there had been some mistake and that a boy
had actually got into the room. When the laughter
and applause were over, and the ladies had sufficiently
admired each others' dresses, they settled down into
THE WHIPPING OF CUPID. 121
their places, and Lady C gave the command that
Madlle, St. Kitts should be fetched. The Princesse's
maid, who always attended outside the door, was
despatched to bring her down, and Mrs D went
out into the anteroom to receive her.
" I hope she'll enjoy it," muttered Stephens to me,
grimly, as we stood waiting our orders ; " it will cure
her of curiosity for some time, I fancy."
Stephens never could get over the whipping she had
received, and the chance of touching anyone else with
the whip was a real delight to her. The ceremonial of
the young lady's introduction was to be a special one,
and I noticed the ladies handled their rods, which had
been all freshly tied and trimmed, very affectionately,
while they waited for this new object for their use.
When Mrs D led the young girl into the room
blindfolded, after the question " Who comes there ? ''
&c, a murmur of admiration greeted her appearance
in her fantastic but becoming costume. There wasn't
a bit of timidity about her : she thought she knew
what she had to encounter, but it proved a mistake :
she answered gaily enough to the questions put to her.
122 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" Are you prepared to join heartily in the ceremonies
of the Merry Order of St. Bridget, and to further, to
the best of your power, the amusement and pleasure
of the meetings of the sisters thereof? "
" I am."
" Are you willing to swear never to reveal aught that
you see, hear, or do in this room, now and hereafter?"
" I am."
Then followed the same questions which were put
to me, and then Lady C said, " Swear her." I had
not been sworn, but I knew the ladies had gone through
some form of taking an oath. A rod was put into
Mademoiselle's hand, and, repeating after Lady C ,
she said — " I, Geraldine Hilda St. Kitts, candidate for
admission into the Merry Order of St. Bridget, hereby
swear to hold myself bound by all its rules, and to
submit to all penalties imposed upon me by it. I
solemnly bind myself to answer any questions put to
me by the president of the society, and never to reveal
anything which passes at its meetings. I swear this
THE WHIPPING OF CUPID. 1 23
by all the hopes i have of a good marriage and a
prosperous and happy future, and, in token of my
sincerity, I am ready to submit to whatever ceremony
of initiation the sisters may deem necessary.
" Good,'' said Lady C : " prepare her."
It was very little trouble to do that — only to fasten
up the short tunic to her shoulders, and her beautiful
figure was fully revealed. I saw the ladies look at her
rounded hips and finely shaped legs with longing eyes,
and, indeed, there was a pleasure in having such a firm
smooth skin to lay the rod upon. She never flinched
or shuddered, only saying to Lady C , " Madame,
is it against the rules to let me see ? "
11 Quite," was the only reply, and then came the
word " Advance."
That she was hardly prepared for the first blow I
could see, though she did not scream, but bit her rosy
lip hard to keep down any sound, and, as lash after
lash fell with varied force upon her firm round hips,
she writhed and twisted, but managed to suppress any
124 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
cry. When we had reached the president's chair,
instead of making her kneel over the ottoman, I was
ordered to advance and unpin the tunic, letting it down
for a little while, and, still blindfolded, she was ordered
to kneel.
" Madlle. St. Kitts will now tell the sisters of the
Order how she found out anything about them," the
president said, and there was a general titter, Made-
moiselle was silent.
" She has taken the oath, and she will keep it," Lady
C went on.
" I will," replied the girl, trying hard to keep her
voice from quivering. " At the back of the president's
chair, under the hangings, there is a large closet ; I
was in there the whole of the first meeting of the
society."
The first meeting ! the one at which I had been
initiated, and poor Stephens whipped. She doubtless
remembered the way in which she had struggled and
kicked, for I heard her mutter, under her breath, " The
THE WHIPPING OF CUPID. 125
little viper." That particular evening Madlle. St. Kitts
had been reported ill with a bad headache : some of
the ladies had marked her absence from the drawing-
room, and enquired for her.
" I locked that closet myself in the afternoon,'
Lady C said. <
" I unlocked it afterwards, and got in."
" With what key ? "
" The key of my dressing-room door — the lock is a
common one."
Lady C looked angry, the other ladies amused,
and the president went on.
" You saw everything "
"Everything! The admission of the two ladies'-
maids, and the taking of the oath I have just sworn
myself,"
126 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" Geraldine Hilda St. Kitts, you have acted the part
of a traitor and a spy ! Have you revealed to anyone
what you saw on that night ? "
" To no one."
" You are an orphan ? ''
" Yes."
" From whence ? "
" From the Island of Cuba, in the West Indies,
staying here, and travelling under the protection of
my aunt, Madlle. Loupe."
" Have you ever, except on the night you speak of,
witnessed the discipline of the rod being administered?"
■ I have."
" Ever suffered it?"
" Yes,"
THE WHIPPING OF CUPID. 1 27
" Where ? "
' At my father's estate of St. Kitts, in Cuba, where
I practised it, with his permission and my mother's,
when a child."
" And you like it ? "
" I do, and wish to see more of the practice under
the auspices of the Merry Order of St. Bridget."
I was ordered to the dais, to see that there was no
one in the closet she spoke of — a ceremony which was
never afterwards omitted — and I found that anyone
inside could see very well all that was passing in the
room, and Madlle. St. Kitts must have had an edifying
example of the way in which elderly ladies and virtu-
ous matrons could amuse themselves when they fancied
themselves unseen by younger eyes.
" Will Mademoiselle tell the sisters of the Order
whv she kept her secret ? Young ladies are generally
prompt to gossip."
128 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
The girl's answer came quick and decisive to this
question —
" Because I wanted to join the Order, and I knew
that once talked about it would be at an end. No
young lady under the control of a mother would have
kept the secret."
" Then you confess to a passion for the rod, Made-
moiselle ? "
- I do."
" And will submit to whatever punishment the
sisters choose to inflict for the crime of secretly
watching their proceedings ? "
" I will."
" Unquestioning and unmurmuring ? "
Madlle. St. Kitts bowed, and lady C beckoned
me, and bade me prepare her once more for the rod.
" What, more whipping ! " she muttered, in a low
THE WHIPPING OF CUPID. 1 29
tone : but she made no remonstrance nor attempt
to resist.
'•' Jenkins, step forward," Lady C said, in an
authoritative tone, and my lady advanced to the front
of the dais and bowed in such a footman-like manner,
that the rest of the ladies tittered till rebuked by the
president.
" The business is serious, Mesdames," she said,
" may I beg you will be silent."
Madlle. St. Kitts started at the call for " Jenkins ; "
it was an unfamiliar name to her, and she was at a loss
what to make of it. By this time I had again pinned
up her dress, and, in obedience to an order from Lady
C , I made her step up upon the stool, over which
I had leaned to be whipped. " Jenkins " came and
stood in front of her, and the pretty tawny arms were
guided round the neck of the supposed footman, who
held them tight. A dexterous movement of the other
gentleman in plush gave Mademoiselle a hoist up, and
in an instant her ankles were secured by a soft silk scarf,
and there she was, powerless. For a moment or two she
I
130 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
took it all in good part (she had been horsed before,
she told my lady afterwards), but it was only for a
moment. She felt the cloth and buttons, and her
chin rested on the horse-hair wig, with its black bag ;
it was a man whose back she was hoisted on, and she
gave a loud scream.
"A man ! she cried ; " Let me go ! It is shameful !
I will complain to the Count, and let him know what
goes on in his house. Let me go, I say ! "
If the ladies had tittered before, they laughed out now
and peal after peal rang through the room at Made-
moiselle's unavailing struggles and impotent screams.
It was as much as Stephens and myself could do to
hold her in position, and it was some time before
Lady C 's voice could be heard through the tumult.
Madlle. St. Kitts has promised to obey our Merry
Order in everything. Ladies, to your places, if you
please. Jenkins, are you ready ? "
" I am,'" replied Jenkins, in a voice which contended
with muffled laughter, and the foreman horsing the
THE WHIPPING OF CUPID. 131
young lady planted herself firmly in front of the dais,
and every lady in turn went forward and administered
a couple of strokes with her rod. They did this with
great precision, so that the blows had the effect of
freemason's claps, and if Mademoiselle had borne the
preliminary castigation bravely, she did not bear this
so well. Half hysterical from fright and indignation,
she struggled and screamed till she was breathless, so
that when she was released from the grasp of the
footmen, she could only roll on the floor and gasp.
After a moment or two the order came to unbind her
eyes, and, to her horror, she found herself face to face
with two footmen and a page. Overcome with
shame, she covered her face with her hands, and
the president made a sign for the two supposed men
to retire ; then, addressing Madlle St. Kitts, she said —
" Now you know, Mademoiselle, the penalty that
awaits any improper spying into the affairs of our
Order, and what you will subject any young lady to
in whom you may, by hints or otherwise, excite an
undue curiosity respecting it."
She then declared Geraldine Hilda St Kitts a
132 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
member of the Merry Order of St. Bridget, and I
was allowed to take the poor girl away. Nor was it
till the next meeting that she was undeceived about
the footmen. She kept the secret capitally ; not one of
the young ladies could get anything out of her ; and
as for the cupboard, Lady C made it impossible
for anyone to make a spying-place of that, by having
the door taken away. Mademoiselle was not able to
appear again that night: her punishment had been
much more severe than that of the Princesse, and she
was glad to bathe and go to bed, I went down as
quickly as I could, and found Fifine scuffling with
some one in the dark anteroom.
" You shan't ! " I heard her say. " You wicked,
spying little wretch, come out !"
11 What is it ? " I asked her, going in, and blinking
with the sudden cessation of the light.
" It is that horrid little Gustave. I turned my
back for a moment, and there he was, trying the
keyhole of the door ; if any of the ladies were to
come out, they would lay the blame on me,"
THE WHIPPING OF CUPID. 1 33
The fact was, Gustave had found out that his mis-
tress had donned a suit which had been ordered for
him ; and his curiosity being great to see what she
did in it, he had crept downstairs, and finding Fifine
absent from her post for a moment, had applied
his eye to the keyhole of the tabagie door, to try and
see what went on within. Being caught by the lively
French girl, she had pulled his hair and slapped his
face, which led to the scuffle I had interrupted. I
only made matters worse, for, when I touched him, he
howled, and was heard inside. Stephens was sent
out, and reported what the disturbance was about :
and an order came out to blindfold Master Gustave
and tie his hands. It was easier said than done ; it
took the whole three of us to do it, and when it was
done, he sat down on the floor liko a lump of lead.
Mrs. D came out and ordered us to bring him in,
and we had to carry him and drop him just inside
the door. He could not get the bandage off his eyes
nor untie his hands, but he made himself as heavy
and awkward as he could, and it was as much as we
could do even to turn him over. In vain Lady C
bid him stand up ; he wouldn't stir ; and at last we
carried him to the ottoman and laid him across it.
134 MERRt ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
In a twinkling his clothes were down and his shirt
pinned up, and a sound whipping administered to him,
every lady taking part therein. How he did howl
and struggle to be sure, and how the ladies laughed !
None of them spoke, so that he did not know who
his tormentors were, and all his struggles did not
avail to free his hands and eyes. Lady C made
him tell how he found out his lady had put on his
costume, and he gasped out that he had been behind
the window curtain of her dressing-room, and saw her
put it on. Luckily, Fifine was present, so she had
not talked about St. Bridget, or revealed any of their
secrets. When the ladies had whipped him to their
hearts' content, we were ordered to take him away,
which we did, depositing him on the floor in the lava-
tory, which was pitch dark, and locking him in. No
one could hear him there, and when he was released
an hour afterwards, the tabagie was empty ; no trace
of the ceremonies or the sisterhood was to be seen ;
and he could make nothing of his adventure. He
tried with might and main to get something out of
me (Fifine knew nothing, so she could not tell), but it
was no use ; for I wasn't going to break my word for
his vagaries, and I held my tongue. He got nothing
THE WHIPPING OF CUPID. 135
by his curiosity but a good whipping, and it did him
good ; he was as demure again for several days after,
though he would make saucy speeches to me about
what he guessed.
" I'll find out yet," he said to me one day ; " see if
I don't ; I'll come down quietly, and strangle Fifine,
and then I'll take her place and get in."
" Fifine never gets in," I retorted.
" Then I'll strangle you," he said ; " it's all the
same ; I'm not going to be whipped like that without
knowing something in exchange."
But, my dear, he never did find out. The Princesse
told him the next time he dared to come near
the tabagie, she would turn him out into his rags and
dirt again within an hour, and he knew her well
enough to know she would keep her word. But I
must leave off now. I'll tell you all about Mme.
Hautville's installation in my next. — Believe me,
Yours truly,
M. Anson.
\$6 MERRY ORDER OE ST. BRIDGET.
P.S. — Our ladles are all in solemn conclave this
morning in Mrs. D 's rooms, and we are at liberty
till they ring for us. I don't think anything to do with
the Order of St. Bridget is the subject of their discus-
sion, but I shall be sure to hear about it, whatever it is ;
my lady couldn't keep anything from me, if she tried
ever so. However, it has given us an hour or so to
ourselves, and I can scribble a bit more to you. I
really am very happy here on the whole, and Fifine,
whom you were asking about, is a nice, cheerful little
thing. I am sorry she is not in the secret of the
tabagie meetings, for I am sure she guesses about it ;
and, more than that, she has been used to whip and
be whipped before she was a lady's maid. With all
her frankness and bonhommie, she has been tolerably
reserved about herself ; and it was only by accident,
the other day, that 1 discovered what her history had
been, for she has a story, and a grave one, butterfly
little creature as she seems. One day lately, I
noticed that she seemed very absent and distressed —
frightened, as it seemed to me; but she declared
there was nothing the matter with her. Our ladies
were going to a grand party in Tours that evening,
and Fifine seemed terribly anxious to get rid of Gus-
A CONJUGAL SCENE. 1 37
tave and myself as the evening wore on. I fancied,
naturally enough, that she had some quiet flirtation
on hand, and, as I never like my own sport spoiled,
I went out, taking the boy with me. We returned
somewhere about eleven o'clock, and went straight up
to our rooms. Outside the door we paused, for un-
mistakable sounds of sobbing, mingled with the
familiar swithing of the rod, were plainly to be heard.
It was Fi fine's voice, and for a moment we imagined
that the Princesse had come back, and was punishing
her maid for some real or fancied fault. I felt sure
that could not be, however, and I tried the door ; it
was locked, and Fifine's voice exclaimed in terror,
" There's some one at the door ! Let me go ! "
A harsh, dissonant voice (a man's) replied, with a
vicious chuckle —
" Let you go my angel ! What, just as I have
recovered my lost treasure ! No ! let them come in,
and see how naughty children are punished when
they rebel against lawful authority."
He laid a wicked stress upon the " lawful ;" and
138 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
Stephens, who had come up, seeing us standing at
the door, started back.
rt I know that voice," she said. " Where did he
come from ? *
" Who is it ? " I asked.
" One of the greatest scoundrels unhung, / think,"
she replied. " A fellow that got iuto good society in
Paris through lies and effrontery ; he got kicked out
of the drawing room, and then tried to ingratiate
himself downstairs. His name is Barbel, and he once
wanted to marry me."
" Oh my ! " ejaculated Gustave, under his breath.
41 Not for my good looks, you monkey, but for a bit
of money I'd saved. Luckily, I found out in time
that he had a wife somewhere, though he himself did
not know where. Here, Mons. Barbel, open that
door," she added, calling through the keyhole.
" Ah, that voice ! " exclaimed the man within.
A CONJUGAL SCENE. 1 39
' Certainly my charming Mademoiselle, whom I
have the happiness to recognise. Come in, and assist
at a conjugal tete-a-tete."
He came tripping across the room as he spoke, and
flung the door open, admitting us to a somewhat odd
scene. Fifine was tied across a heavy chair in the
middle of the room, crying as if her heart would
break, her clothes turned up with the utmost precision
while the ugliest old man I ever saw was adminis-
tering a whipping, which had already been severe,
judging from the state of her hips and her tear-stained
and swollen face.
;< You nasty brute, let her go ! " exclaimed Gustave,
springing to her side, and beginning to unfasten the
handkerchiefs with which she was secured, while
Stephens poured out the full measure of her wrath
upon his head, calling him all the names she could
think of, and shaking her fist at him in scorn and
anger.
" Pardon, ladies ; softly, young sir ! " he said with an
odious leer. " Shall not a man do what he likes with
140 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
his own ? This lady is my runaway wife, my chattel,
my goods ; and who shall forbid my chastising her
when I find her."
Gustave and I were so petrified with astonishment
that we could only stare at him, but Stephens came
to the rescue with tact and skill.
" Of course you can have your wife," she said, " and
whip her twenty times a-day if you like; but not in
another lady's rooms. This apartment is Miss
Anson's, and I see she does not much fancy your
company in it. Will you favour me by coming to
mine ?"
He hesitated a moment, and looked at Fifine, who
sat with her head buried in her hands.
" Oh, never mind your wife ! " Stephens went on
" You've hindered her from running away for to-night
at least ; a glass of wine would be no bad thing after
your exertions ;" and so speaking, she actually walked
him off, leaving us alone with Fifine, who seemed
almost beside herself with fright.
A CONJUGAL SCENE. 141
We soothed and comforted her as well as we could,
and when she was calm enough to speak, we asked
her if it was true.
" Yes," she said, through her tears ; " quite true,
1 am his wife, heaven help me ! but I hoped I should
never see him again ; " and then, bit by bit, her story
came out. I fancy a good many French girls could
tell the same if we only knew. Fifine was by no
means a lowly born girl ; she came of a good family,
though poor. Her parents died, leaving her a little
money, and she was placed in a convent, from whence
she was taken by her guardian, at the age of sixteen,
to be given in marriage to the man whom Stephens
had called Barbel. That he was old, ugly, and dissi-
pated, mattered nothing ; he was the man chosen for
her, and, as these things are always arranged in
France, she took him, doubtless hoping that she
should shake down into her new life, as hundreds of
women do, without feeling her position too acutely.
She reckoned without her host, however ; she was
tied to a man without sense of honour or decency ;
and after being outraged as only such brutes can
outrage helpless women, she fled from him and threw
142 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
herself upon the mercy of the Princesse Z , whose
husband had known her father. That lady listened
to her pitiful story, and took means to ascertain its
truth, and finally allowed the poor wife, under an
assumed name, to become her attendant.
" And I should be so happy," she sobbed, when she
had told us all, " but for him ; this is the second time
he has found me, and no one but the Prince has any
influence over him to keep him away, and he is so
far off."
We asked her how he got in, and she said she met
him on the previous evening, when he had announced
his intention of coming, and declared he would claim
her publicly if she did not admit him.
" And oh ! " she added, in a terrified voice, " I don't
know how to tell you, but things are not safe where
he is ; he has been in prison once, and "
She burst into such passionate tears that our hearts
ached to see her,
A CONJUGAL SCENE. 143
" We'll get rid of him somehow," Gustave said,
encouragingly. " Stephens won't let him go blabbing
— she knows him, she said ; he made love to her in
Paris."
" Go and see what has beeome of him," I said ; and
Gustave went, and presently reappeared, saying, " It's
all right ; stop with Fifine — my assistance is wanted
yonder."
He stayed away about an hour, and then they
both came back. Stephens had actually taken him
to her own room, and, with Gustave's help, made him
drunk !
" It was the only thing," she said, grimly ; " nobody
would suspect me of an intrigue, and he must be got
rid of. When the Princesse comes home we will tell
her." We did, and she entered fully into Fifine's
tribulation.
" He must be turned out of course," she said —
" the brute ; and I think, 1 can make him hold his
tongue ; in the meantime I leave him to you,"
144 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
We took the hint, and, after seeing Fifine and her
mistress to bed, we three went into Stephens's room,
and when M. Barbel woke up out of his drunken
sleep, it was to feel the smartest cuts that our rods
could give him. We had fastened him as he had
fastened his poor little wife, and I'll answer for him it
would be a long time before he'd forget what sort of
a whipping two women could give him. When we
had done, I gave him a message from the Princesse,
to the effect that, if ever he molested Fifine again,
while she was with her, instant arrest would be his
portion. He understood, though we did not, and
became abjectly humble, and declared his willingness
to depart at once. We let him go, and he slunk off ;
but his adventures did not end here : one of the men
recognised him, as he was going out of the house, as
a fellow who had swindled him in Paris, and adminis-
tered summary justice on the spot in the shape of a
good kicking. Poor Fifine looks very pale and dis-
trait, but she will soon recover her spirits, for he is
safe for some time : the very day after he left Tours
he was arrested for forgery and robbery, and lies
awaiting his trial. It would be no loss to society if
they sent him to the galleys for life- the monster!
A CONJUGAL SCENE. 145
To think of little Fifine having such a story belonging
to her ! " Still waters run deep," the proverb says ;
but I should never have thought there was anything
below the surface in her. There's my lady calling :
now I shall hear what the discussion has been about.
It is sure to be something to make more toilet work
for us girls. Good-bye till I write again, which won't
be long. Ever your affectionate,
M. Anson.
LETTER VIII.
THE WOMAN IN WHITE.
My Dear Marion,
I promised to tell you about the installation
of Mme. Hautville to a place in the Order of St.
Bridget. It took place at the very next meeting
after I had caught Gustave and he had been whipped.
There was nothing new to be done — whipping is whip-
ping, and nothing can make it different. But the
ladies resolved to have something fresh about it, and
agreed, that instead of all having the orthodox rods
they should have as many kinds of instruments of
punishment as they could think of ; thus, one lady
should use a slipper ; another a birch, tightly tied ;
another a loosely-fastened rod, and so on. Mrs. D
declared for nothing at all : she would use the palm of
her hand only, she said, " and if I don't make as much
impression as any of you," she added, wickedly, " why
I have forgotten my practice, that's all,"
I4# MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
Mme. Hautville made a very pretty toilette for the
occasion ; she was all in white, not a penitent like the
Princesse had been for her admission, but in the cos-
tume of a novice when she takes the veil. The dress
had been considerably modified as being too flowing
for the occasion, but it was all white silk and lace,
and a lovely little angel she looked when it was com-
pleted. From head to foot she had nothing on that
was not pure white. White satin shoes, with diamonds
sparkling on the rosettes ; white silk stockings, gar-
tered above her round knees with white velvet garters,
with satin rosettes ; white petticoats — one of the finest
flannel, embroidered with lilies, and one of soft lawn,
with a lace flounce. Her robe was silk, the soft noise-
less sort that does not rustle, richly trimmed with
costlyMechlin lace, and over her head she had a square
veil. She had Gustave in to assist at her toilette,
and allowed him to put on her exquisite stockings,
and fasten her garters and shoes. I could see the
delight the mischievous rogue felt in doing it ; his face
flushed, and his hands trembled so that he could
hardly clasp the silver fastenings. But Madame never
minded him a bit ; she seemed rather to like feeling his
hands about her, and very nice hands they had grown
THE WOMAN IN WHITE. 1 49
into by now, I can assure you. He looked wistfully
after her as we escorted her down stairs, but he dared
not follow this time. Madame submitted to be blipd-
folded with a very good grace, though she tried hard
to get me to tell her what was going to be done ; she
had such pretty coaxing ways that it was hard to re-
sist her ; but I did, and she went in quite unprepared.
We led her slowly up the room, and at the first stroke
of the rod, nearest the door, she winced, but did not
cry out ; the next blow she received was a stinging
one from a slipper my lady held in her hand (she
knows how to strike with a shoe, I can tell you), and
she gave a little scream and a jump. " Oh, what is
it ? " she said, between her teeth ; but the next stroke,
a fair open-handed slap from Mrs. D 's fat hand,
made her fairly shriek out, and twist herself out of
our grasp on to the floor. It was a slap, and rang
out even above the laughter of the ladies, leaving a
broad red mark on the white, firm flesh of the little
lady.
" Stop punishment ! " said Lady C from her
dais ; " the applicant will answer the questions of the
Merry Order before she is further whipped."
150 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
We led her to the ottoman, and she knelt over it.
" Angeline Marie Hautville," she went on, " you
promise to obey the Merry Order of St. Bridget in all
things pertaining to their rites ?"
" I do."
" And to answer all questioning from their presi-
dent ? "
" I do."
" You are accustomed to the practice of the rod ? ''
" I am.
" And have a passion for|it ? "
Mme. Hautville bowed, but made no answer.
" Your husband joins you in the practice ? "
Another mute bow, and the fair face turned fiery
THE WOMAN IN WHITE. 151
red, no doubt at the thought of that same private
practice, and how it must have been seen by some
one.
" State to the Merry Order how you became ac-
quainted with the use of the whip, and whether you
or Mons. Hautville was the first to introduce its
pleasures into your married life ? "
Again she blushed, and did not immediately speak ;
and Lady C repeated her question, when she re-
plied in a low tone, " I was."
" You first taught your husband to find pleasure in
whipping ?"
" I did."
" And where did you learn it yourself? "
" In the convent where I was brought up."
" Was it practised there as a punishment only, or
as a pleasure as well ? "
t$2 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" Both — as a punishment by the sisters and priests,
and as a pleasure by the girls of the convent school,
who learned the use of the rod from their superiors/'
" You have not told your husband of our meeting
and your intentions ? "
" I have not."
" And you will not?"
There was a difficulty in the answer to this question.
Mme. Hautville would say no more than " Not if I can
help it," which caused much laughter and some con-
sternation, though the ladies agreed amongst them-
selves, that as M. Hautville practised whipping him-
self he would not be likely to say anything even if his
wife did let the secret out. Whether she did or not,
he held his tongue ; and I heard my lady remark that
he was exceedingly attentive to and careful of her the
next day, when she kept her room. The whipping
she got was a pretty severe one ; the different kinds
of instruments used made the punishment harder to
bear than the continuous stroke of a single rod, and
THE WOMAN IN WHITE. 153
her poor hips were all weals and bruises. When I
took her away to her room Madlle. St. Kitts went with
her, and remained in her rooms ; she and that lively
young lady took a fancy to one another at once, and
Mademoiselle sympathised with her in her sufferings.
Madlle. St. Kitts was an orphan, or she would never
have been admitted. She was staying at the chateau
under the protection of her aunt, Madlle. Loupe, one
of the before-mentioned old maids, a cross, strait-laced
creature, but quite powerless to control the wayward
girl, who was to all intents and purposes her own
mistress. She lectured her severely upon her joining
" those women,'' as she called the ladies, and vowed
she would make the Count put an end to their secret
meetings.
': The Count would be only too glad to join us,
aunty," she replied ; and indeed, when Madlle Loupe
spoke to him indignantly about the proceedings of the
tabagie, he replied, " That so far from trying to stop
the amusements of his guests, he intended to apply for
admittance to their meetings himself, for he was sure
that what ladies could keep secret with such pertina-
city must be intensely interesting and amusing."
154 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
Madlle. St. Kitts related all this at the next meeting
of the society, to the amusement and indignation of
the sisterhood, and added, that her aunt was exces-
sively curious about their ceremonies.
" I think the best plan would be to enlighten her,"
said Mrs. D , with a laugh, and she drew her rod
through her ringers as she spoke.
" What, admit her ! " said Lady C . " I don't
think we should find her an agreeable associate, nor a
silent one either."
" I don't think we should ; but we might initiate her
for all that : let her have a taste of our proceedings,
and I don't think she would want any more, or would
be likely to go tattling to the Count again. We'll
leave Madlle. St. Kitts out of the scheme if she likes."
" Oh no ! I owe auntie a grudge for many a bit of
spite, and if you don't serve her worse than you served
me, 1 shan't grumble, and she'll be none the worse."
" Half the whipping will do, my dear, but I think
we can cure her of curiosity, and complaining too,"
MADLLE. LOUPE. 155
replied Mrs. D ; and then, rising, she begged per-
mission to lay before the meeting a plan of revenge
upon Madlle. Loupe for her ill-will towards the society.
It was received with much laughter and approbation ;
and it was resolved that if the lady shewed any more
animosity it should be immediately carried out.
They had not to wait long. The very next day the
fair lady again assailed the Count with a request that
he would deprive the ladies of the use of the smoking-
room, and put down the " disgusting orgies " held
there. The Count repeated her words to my lady
and the sisters resolved upon instant revenge. When
Madlle. Loupe retired that night to her room she found
a note upon her dressing-table, inviting her to join the
rest of the ladies in the tabagie the next evening. It
further directed her to knock at the door of the smok-
ing-room at a certain hour alone, otherwise she would
not be admitted. The note concluded by saying the
ladies trusted to be able to convince her of the com-
plete harmlessness of the secret society, about which
she had so kindly interested herself. She went to her
niece's room in great excitement to know who sent the
invitation, but Hilda was mute upon the subject.
156 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" She had heard the ladies express a wish to have
her aunt join them," that was all she would say about
it ; and Madlle. Loupe passed the night and the next
day in a state of extreme excitement.
The ladies met that night in their ordinary evening
costumes, for reasons which will presently appear, ex-
cept the two footmen and the page, who were on duty
beside Lady C 's chair. The room was almost in
darkness ; the only lights were two candles on the
stands at the top of the room, and as soon as the
knock was heard at the door these were blown out,
leaving us in total darkness. This had been arranged
before-hand, and the Princesse's maid removed from
her post of outside door-keeper. Mrs. D disguised
her voice, which she had a knack of doing, and asked
who was there? Madlle. Loupe answered timidly,
and was immediately drawn into the room, and the
same voice told her she must be blindfolded. In the
twinkling of eye, and before she could resist, her hands
were pinioned, and a handkerchief tied over her eyes.
While this was being done the candles were lit, and a
dozen hands seized upon the unlucky victim. Struggles
were vain — screams of no avail ;. indeed, they were
MADLLE. LOUPE. I 57
lost in the peals of laughter which resounded on all
sides. Madlle. Loupe was prepared, horsed, firmly
held on the back of one of the footmen, and soundly
whipped. To describe her appearance would be vain.
Fancy a scraggy, sallow woman, with skin like parch-
ment, and a coiffure composed mainly of false hair,
which loosened itself in her struggles and kept tum-
bling off; and a shrill voice, which now and then raised
itself above the general tumult in a sharp squeal, which
was more temper than pain, for the ladies laughed too
much to make their blows very hard. A very few
minutes sufficed to give each of them an opportunity
to use their rods, and then one by one they glided
silently from the room. The pins which held up her
dress were taken out, and the bandage over her eyes
loosened, and she slid to the ground to find herself
alone with two men and a page. They stooped over
her with well-acted surprise, but she shrieked and hid
her face.
" Men, too ! " she screamed. " Oh ! oh ! go away ;
it only wanted that to complete their wickedness. Go
away, I tell you ! how dare you come here ? send my
158 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
maid, you wretches — Madlle. Loupe's maid — oh,
oh ! they've murdered me."
She was wasting her lamentations on the empty air,
and when she looked up again she was alone. There
was the empty room, not a trace of any occupancy
remaining, and she rolled over again on the couch
bewailing her smarts and the way she had been tricked.
She must have lain there some time, when, getting a
little calmer, she sat up upon the couch and confronted
a man gazing at her, no less a person than the Count's
valet, a very fine gentleman indeed, who had been
passing near the tabagie, and, attracted by unusual
sounds, had entered, and was surveying Madlle,
Loupe's disarranged dress and disordered coiffure
with mingled admiration and astonishment.
" Another man ! " she shrieked. " Are you one of
them ? Are you leagued with the wretched women
who moet here and indulge in such abominable
practices ? I have been " she stopped suddenly,
and said, " insulted, outraged in this room, and I will
have reparation,"
MADLLE. LOUPE. 15^
" There is no one here but Mademoiselle," the man
replied, puzzled ; w the ladies are in the drawing-room ;
there has been no meeting in the tabagie to-night."
" No meeting ! Do you dare to stand there and
tell me that when I ? Ah ! I see you are one of
them ; perhaps one of the vile men who was here just
now, hired by those women to insult me."
" I will send Mademoiselle's maid to her," was all the
reply he condescended to make to her, and walked off
to the drawing-room, where, after a little delay, he
was able to speak to his master, and tell him that
Madlle. Loupe had gone mad in the smoking-room.
" Is it a secret, Count ? " asked the Princesse, who
had dressed and was moving about the room, deli-
cately lovely in a pale primrose-coloured dress. "Your
face looks interesting."
" Does it ? It was a serious piece of news Andrea
brought me, I can assure you ; he says Madlle. Loupe
is in the tabagie raving mad. Have you anything to
do with this sudden alteration of her intellects ? "
l6o MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" I have done nothing to produce such a catastrophe
as that."
u I strongly suspect your sisterhood, who hold the
secret conclaves yonder, have been practising upon
her amiable nature. Ladies, shall we go and see how
far Andrea's dismal tale is true ? "
Down in a body went the ladies, with the Count at
their head, to gather round Madlle. Loupe, and question
and condole with the utmost innocence. She spoke
out plainly now, declared she had been shamefully
outraged, whipped, and degraded in the presence of
his servants, at a secret meeting of the ladies in the
chateau.
" But, my dear madam, there has been no meeting
here to-night ; the ladies have given us the pleasure
of their society in the drawing-room, where we have
missed you, I can assure you."
" You have been tricked, and so have I ! " she said in
a fury. M I tell you I was beaten by two men in livery,
and a page stood by and looked on ; and I heard the
MADLLE. LOUPE. l6l
laughter of a room full of people at my sufferings.
Count de Floris, if there is law in the land, I will have
it ! "
" Certainly, my dear madam ; if you can point out
the offenders, I will aid you to the utmost in bringing
them to justice."
" Point them out ! They are your guests, these
women who think nothing too shameless to indulge in
in their vile meetings."
" I think we had better retire, Count," said Mrs.
D ,with dignity. " Mademoiselle's malady appears
to be one for which a night's rest will be the best
remedy."
" Dear, dear, how sad ! " said the Princesse. slyly
" I had no idea of anything of that sort ; better ring
for her maid, poor creature, and have her taken up
stairs at once."
The Count was puzzled, and half inclined to think
that his guest had been indulging too freely in cham-
L
l62 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
pagne at dinner, but he spake gently to her. ' In-
deed, my dear madam, you are under some delusion ;
if you will allow me to conduct you to your room, the
matter will be most carefully investigated."
There was nothing for it but to comply, and the next
morning every servant in the house was strictly exa-
mined. No one knew anything about it, of course ;
none of the men had been near the tabagie on the
previous night, and the women had only to report that
they had dressed their ladies for the evening as usual,
with no information regarding any meeting. It's my
belief that the Count knew or guessed at the truth,
and rather enjoyed the discomfiture of Madlle. Loupe ;
who, poor soul, remained under the imputation of
having taken more wine than was good for her on that
particular day, and who never attempted any more to
meddle with the other ladies, or to interfere with the
doings of Madlle. St. Kitts. It gave her a lesson she
did not forget, and she was obliged to take it to heart
in secret and without any fuss. She had no witnesses
to bring forward, and of course there was only her own
word as to the whipping. She could not very well
produce ocular proof of the fact, and her assertion
MADLLE. LOUPE. 163
did not go for much. She was a much more amiable
woman after the little ceremony, which gave her an
insight into the doings in the tabagie, than she was
before ; and it was a long time before she again tried
to learn any of the secrets of St. Bridget. When she
did — but that is too long a tale to tell now ; I'll let
you have it in its proper place. My lady is calling,
so I must go. — Believe me, as ever,
Your sincere friend,
M. Anson.
P.S. — My letter is quite long enough, but I may
not be able to write again for some time, and I see I
have been scribbling on without ever answering your
question about Gustave. My lady only wanted me to
give me some orders about her dress for a hunting
party that is to come off next week, where they are all
to be in Moyenage costumes, and make fools of them-
selves, by pretending to hunt a poor tame boar that
has been kept in a pen in the woods here ever since
we came. My lady is going in a crimson dress, with
gold trimmings ; Mme. Hautville, in blue and silver ;
164 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
and the little Princesse in green and gold. Old Lady
C (and what a spectacle that woman will be on
horseback, to be sure !) has composed a costume out
of two old black velvet and satin dresses, and trimmed
them with white and silver like a coffin ; she'll look
like an undertaker's advertisement. But all this has
nothing to do with that imp of a page. You ask
whether he took all the punishment he got quietly,
and whether he did not retaliate upon us for his whip-
pings. Of course he did, and in a way we little ex-
pected, and could not resent. There was a ball at
Tours, a very select and genteel one, and most of the
ladies and gentlemen at the chateau — I mean in our
circle — were invited. We had some work to get per-
mission, but as it happened on an evening when we
were not much wanted we did get it, though I must not
tell you how we were harassed till the very last minute,
and barely allowed time to dress and get off. I was
fully prepared two or three days beforehand ; as I
told you, my foot and my lady's are the same size, and
though she is taller and stouter than I am, a little
alteration makes her dresses fit me. I was resolved
not to be outdone in the matter of dress, and I selected
a blue and white shot silk, which had been only twice
A ROLAND FOR AN OLIVER. 165
worn, and Honiton trimmings. There were shoes to
match the dress, which my lady did not much like —
she always said it did not suit her complexion. It
did mine beautifully, and I can tell you that there was
quite a buzz of admiration when I walked into the ball-
room with Mons. Pierre, Mons. Hautville's valet. For
ornaments, I had a garnet and pearl set belonging to
my lady, and a perfumed fan, which had just come
with a lot of other things from Paris. Fifine had
much more trouble with her dress ; she was taller and
bigger than her little mistress, and she was obliged to
content herself with a lace dress as the only one she
could alter successfully. I helped her with gloves and
shoes ; and with some Paris diamonds and deep crim-
son flowers she looked very pretty. Gustave helped
with our toilettes, and was very demure and quiet all
the evening — so quiet, that we could not help fancying
he meant mischief.
" I know he's up to something," Fifine said, as we
drove off. " Oh, Mademoiselle, suppose he was to go
to our ladies and tell about these ! "
She put her hand up to her neck where her mis-
166 MERRV ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
tress's ornaments glittered, and looked frightened, for
the Frincesse had a temper, and was easily offended.
" Oh, no fear ! " I replied. " Gustave is not a bad
hearted boy : he may play us some prank, but he
won't do anything deliberately spiteful."
The ball was a most delightful one ; we were uni-
versally pronounced the belles of the room, and had
more attention paid us than any other people of the
place. It was late when we got home, and we found
that Stephens, good-natured for once, had attended to
our duties for us, and we could go to bed at once.
Not a sign of Gustave was to be seen ; the men said
he was in bed long ago, and we went off to our rooms,
glad to be rid of him, and tired enough. We un-
dressed and folded up our dresses, which were none
the worse, and chatted freely about the ball and
what we had seen and done there. All at once I
heard a smothered laugh somewhere ; I was sure of it,
but though we looked well about we could see nothing.
Our lights were soon out, and I got into bed. I had
left the door open, and could hear Fiflne get into hers ;
A ROLAND FOR AN OLIVER. 167
a moment more, and she sprang out with a terrified
scream.
" What is the matter ? " 1 asked, and then there
came a peal of mischievous laughter, and Gustave
rushed past me, and in a moment had locked the outer
door communicating with the corridor, and taken out
the key.
" You little wretch ! " I exclaimed. " What do you
want ? Where were you ? "
" In my bed," gasped Fifine. " I — I "
She could not speak between rage and fright, and
the boy, who was half dressed, only laughed the more.
" That's just where I was," he said ; " and now, you
two girls, look here : I've let you whip me and lead
me a precious life, and I'm going to turn the tables.
I'm going to whip both of you, and try my hand, or
else go straight to the Princesse the first thing in the
morning and tell her about the fine dresses I helped
to put on."
1 68 MERRV ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
The little brute was quite in earnest. Not only had
he been lying in bed in wait for us, but he had two
rods there, which I knew at a glance had come from
the Princesse's store ; and do you know, my dear,
many things made mc fancy afterwards that she knew
about it — both the dresses and the whipping too.
Well, to make a long story short, and to save myself /
consented that Gustave should whip me —and the
little wretch made me go through all the proper cere-
monies, and then gave me as good a flogging as ever
my mistress did. Fifine resisted for a long time, but
she, like me, knew what he could do to spite us if he
chose in other ways besides the ball affair (for we
had talked quite unrestrainedly before him), and she
submitted at last. How the little wretch chuckled
when he got hold of her, and we recovered our breath
after the scuffle.
" Now, Mademoiselle," he said, mimicking the Prin-
cesse's voice to a nicety," kneel down and kiss the rod !"
Fifine hesitated, but a smart cut across her unpro-
tected legs brought her to reason.
A ROLAND FOR AN OLIVER. 169
" Let him have his way," I said ; " it is no good
thwarting him."
So she knelt and did as he bid her, and he lectured
her the while with such a serious face that I could not
but laugh, though I was smarting, I can tell you.
u Madlle Fifine," he said, " you have been guilty of
a grave offence in wearing your mistress's dresses
and jewellery ; you will now take punishment for the
same at my hands. Rise, and lean over the ottoman !
Madlle. Anson, hold her hands ! "
We both laughed — we could not help it ; but Fifine
saw it was best to submit, and she took her flogging
quietly — the imp of mischief asking her whether it
was not much nicer to be whipped by a fine hand-
some young man (fancy a monkey of fourteen calling
himself a man) than by an angry mistress. At length
he stopped, and Fifine was as sore as I was ; she
jumped up and made for the door.
" Oh, I haven't done with either of you ! " he said,
170 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
wickedly ; " that was only for the dresses : now about
the jewels."
In vain we protested and begged ; he declared if we
did not do all he required of us he would go to our
ladies the first thing in the morning and describe ex-
actly what we had worn. There was nothing for it
but to obey, and, standing by the chair where he had
whipped us, he ordered us to turn up our night-dresses
and fasten them. When we had done this he made
us march before him round and round the room, ad-
ministering alternate cuts to one and the other. I
looked at Fifine, and she at me ; we had had about
enough of it, and when he once more sat down we put
our own smarting hips out of the question, and sprang
upon him, one on each side. In a twinkling he was
down, and his head tied up in a towel ; then his hands
fastened, then his legs, and then he was at our mercy.
" Now it is our turn," Fifine said, while I hastily
undid the fastening of his trousers, the only clothing
he had on, except his shirt.
" Oh. let me go !" he begged. " I won't tell ; indeed,
indeed I won't !"
A ROLAND FOR AN OLIVER. I/I
" 1 don't intend you shall," I replied; " but we shall
whip you in case you forget and let a word slip ; " and,
rolling him over, we administered a full payment for
what he had given us. He was not a vindictive fellow,
for he never told ; and as far as my lady was con-
cerned our secret was safe. From a good many little
things that slipped out I always fancied that the Prin-
cesse was not so ignorant either of the dressing or the
whipping, but she kept her own council, and we heard
no more about it. But I must not write more now,
for my lady will be back directly. Let me know
when you get this, and believe me.
Your affectionate friend,
M. Anson.
LETTER IX.
FANCIFUL FLOGGING.
My Dear Marion,
I can quite understand your impatience to
hear more from me, but the fact is that after the
practical joke the ladies played on Madlle. Loupe
they deserted the tabagie for a while. That outraged
lady's bewailings, they feared, would draw too much
attention to their proceedings. Besides, they felt
sure that the Count suspected something, and though
they would not restore the room to the gentlemen,
they practised in their secret convocations. Poor
Madlle. Loupe paid the place many a visit in secret
to see if she could discover anything, and so did many
of the servants, who enjoyed the story of the whipping
immensely (for the victim made no secret of it) ; but
there was nothing to be discovered— the pretty room
was just as they left it — dais, crimson chairs, lamps,
and all, but no sign of anything to tell of what went
174 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
on there. As for Gustave, that boy knew pretty well
the truth — his own experience had taught him, and
the way in which he condoled with Mademoiselle, and
offered her his services to help her to discover the
culprits, was edifying to see. At first she took it into
her head that he was the page who had witnessed her
humiliation, and meeting him in the corridor one day
in the identical ruby velvet suit the Princesse had
worn, she caught hold of him, and cuffed him, and
shook him till his howls brought out his mistress, and
one or two more of the ladies, to see what was the
matter.
u I assure you, you are mistaken, madam," the
Princesse said, when the accusation was preferred.
" Gustave wears that suit for the first time to day !
he has never seen it before."
M Oh, haven't I ? " the boy said, sotto voce, with
a comical glance at the petite figure of his lady, who,
I fancy, caught the words, though Madlle. Loupe
did not.
" But it is the same dress, colour, ornaments, and
everything, even to the crest on the buttons,"
FANCIFUL FLOGGING. 175
" There is no crest on the buttons," replied the
Princesse demurely. " I do not use a crest for Gus-
tave ; it is a simple fleur-de-lis which anyone may
use if they like."
Madlle. Loupe looked confounded, and the Prin-
cesse went on in the same grave fashion —
" As to the colour of the dress, it was a fancy of
mine, but as it so exactly resembles that of some one
else, he shall never wear it again : I like my servants
to be unique if possible. For the rest, madam, I
shall feel obliged if you will leave Gustave alone for
the future ; 1 can correct him myself when there is
any occasion for it."
She sailed off in a dignified fashion, so foreign to
her general manner that the ladies could scarcely
refrain from bursting into peals of laughter; indeed,
Ivlme. Hautville, who was one of those who were with
her, made a most precipitate retreat from the scene,
and we could hear her silvery voice in uncontrollable
merriment after the door was closed behind her,
176 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
As for Gustave, Madlle. Loupe made him a sort of
half apology; that is to say, she admitted she had
been mistaken, and declared that the page she had
seen was not so stout as he was, which was very true.
He accepted her apology, and vowed he would help
her to find out the truth, which coming to the ears of
the ladies through Madlle. St. Kitts, they had him up
to my lady's dressing-room, and whipped him in full
conclave, every lady using a different instrument, as
had been done in Mme. Hautville's case. He was
sore enough afterwards, and made no more proffers of
assistance to Mme. Loupe. My lady did not relish
the cessation of the whipping festivities ; it was a
pastime she delighted in, and I can assure you, my
dear, that I suffered from her enforced abstinence
from her favourite recreation. She used to practise
upon me to keep her hand in, and she was no mean
performer with her pet instrument, I can tell you.
She had a dozen ways of indulging her fancy,
always at my expense, and one of them was peculiarly
Aggravating.
She got hold of a great book out of the library,
FANCIFUL FLOGGING. 1 7 J
which had a history of feminine manners and customs
in ancient Rome (and nice manners they must have
been), and she resolved to make me attend upon her
toilet as the slaves of the Roman ladies did. So she
looked up a short tunic which was among the fancy
dresses, and the next morning she made me go and
strip, and come back to her with nothing on but this
garment, which was just like a sack, with short sleeves
only, of soft white merino, trimmed with red satin.
It did not come to my knees, and my legs and feet
were bare, except for a pair of sandals of red leather.
" Now take care what you are about, Anson," she
said. " I am going to deal with you exactly as the
ladies in Rome dealt with their slaves."
" But I am not a slave, my lady," I said, imper-
tinently enough, 1 dare say, for I felt angry. " There
are no slaves here."
" You are mine as long as you are in my room,"
she replied. " When my toilet is sufficiently com-
pleted, I shall punish you for that speech." She
made me bathe her, and perfume her, and dress her
M
178 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
hair, and then before she put on her stays she said
quite calmly, " Bring the rod." I brought it, and she
made me kneel and kiss it, and beg her pardon for
what I had said ; and then I knelt over the couch,
and she whipped me till she was tired, — and I, — well,
I did not get over it for a long time. For a good
while after that she made me attend her in that
detestable tunic ; and how that boy Gustave used to
jeer and laugh about it to be sure ! But I had some
fun out of it too, for Lady C heard of it, and
took a fancy to have Stephens do the same ; but the
sight of her skinny yellow legs was too much for her
mistress and such of the ladies as saw her, and after
one sound whipping she was let off. The way that
she lamented and anointed herself after she was
whipped was very funny. The ladies teased her un-
mercifully, and took a delight in getting her punished ;
they knew her legs were a sore point with her, poor
soul. But though my lady languished for the use of
the rod, she was not alone in her longing, and on the
second day after the meetings ceased there was quite
a gathering of ladies in her rooms. I knew quite
well what they were come for, and was not at all
surprised when my lady told me to lock the door,
FANCIFUL FLOGGING. 1 79
They were all en peignoir, and were certain of an hour
or two to themselves, the gentlemen being engaged
with their own pursuits, and most of them out of
doors. Madlle. St. Kitts was among them ; they had
all taken a fancy to her, and, indeed, she was first
and foremost in all their frolics ; she was dressed in
a white muslin robe, trimmed with fine lace and
amber satin ribbon ; my lady was in pink, and Mrs.
D in blue ; the little Princesse was all in white,
and Lady C in a hideous old flannel dressing-
gown that looked as though it had been fifty times
washed. They were all anxious for a little practice
with the rod, and despatched me to the chamber of
the Princesse for the necessary weapons. She kept
them in a long box, lined with velvet ; and splendid
rods they were, lithe and well tied, regular stingers,
not like the clumsy things we used to make up when
you and I were girls together. When I returned with
them, I found the ladies in full gossip ; they were
questioning Madlle. St. Kitts as to where she learnt
anything of the use of the rod, and that lively young
lady did not scruple to relate her experiences for their
benefit.
l8o MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" I've been used to it all my life," she said, in
answer to a question from my lady ; " ever since I
can remember I have been accustomed to see whip-
ping. My father had a whipping house on the estate,
and we used regularly to go and see the slaves
whipped, especially the girls ; they were stripped and
tied up, not horsed like "
" Like you were," said my lady with a laugh. " Con-
fess, my dear Miss St. Kitts, were you not frightened
out of your wits ? "
11 I was ; I thought for a moment that you really
had introduced the male element, but auntie's fright
has atoned to me for mine."
" Does Madlle. Loupe still think it was the ser-
vants ? " asked Lady C .
" That she does, and wants the Count to have a
police inquiry."
" Which he knows better than to do. I dare say
she was not always so frightened of a man."
FANCIFUL FLOGGING. l8l
" No, that she wasn't. I've heard mamma tell stories
of her younger days : and when she was at St. Kitts
no one took more interest in the whippings. I've seen
her take a rod myself in the slaves' dining-room, and
she has whipped me often ; she was considered an
'elegant hand."
" Ah," said Lady C ,." there is a great difference
in the style of whipping. There is no enjoyment
either in the use or endurance of the rod when it
is vulgarly used, like a woman would strike in a
passion ; but when an elegant, high-bred woman
wields it with dignity of mien and grace of attitude,
then both the practice and suffering becomes a real
pleasure."
" That is just what our governess and the nuns at
the convent school used to say," said Miss St. Kitts,
her eyes flashing and her cheeks glowing at the
recollection ; " and they let us feel it, too.
" Ah, I've had some convent experiences, too,"
laughed the lovely little Princesse. " Lay that box
down, Anson ; though Mademoiselle here is impatient
1 82 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
to feel one of those dainty weapons, she will have to
wait — we are going to have our gossip out first."
"Am I to be the victim ?" asked Madlle. St. Kitts ;
" I had no notice."
" Yet you came prepared, 1 know, said Mrs. D ,
merrily lifting the girl's skirts as she spoke, and dis-
playing the shapely brown legs and slim ankles of the
West Indian heiress. She had nothing on under her
peignoir but an embroidered petticoat and a fine
chemise,1 and her feet were thrust into quilted satin
slippers.
u Convicted," she said. " What say you, ladies ;
shall not she be whipped, being ready ? "
" Agreed, agreed ! " responded the ladies, laying
hands on the plump WTest Indian, with looks of delight.
" Oh, a truce, a truce ! " exclaimed Mademoiselle-
" Fair play, ladies ! I plead guilty to having come
ready, but have you not all done the same ? I pro-
pose that the one to be whipped should be the one
FANCIFUL FLOGGING. 183
who has not thought of preparation, not those who
have."
The ladies laughed and agreed, and a general
examination ensued, when, lo ! it turned out that the
Princesse Z was the only one who had come un-
prepared for the ceremony. In vain she pleaded that
she had come in a hurry, that there had been no
notice given her, &c. ; she was ordered into my lady's
bedroom to prepare, while the ladies gossiped and
chattered among themselves.
" Your whippings are child's play compared to our
school punishment," Miss St. Kitts remarked. " The
sisters used to pick the bits of birch out of our skins
for us after a severe flogging, and the priests used to
scold them for it, and tell us that those prickles were
part of our penance."
"Ah ! " said Mrs. D , twitching uneasily on her
chair ; " that's carrying matters too far. Did those
worthy gentlemen help at the punishment, my dear ?"
" As far as looking on was an assistance, they did.
184 Merry order of st. Bridget.
The sisters professed to do it in private, but there was
a sliding panel between the refectory and the room of
penance, and they could apply their eyes to it if they
chose."
" And you may be sure they did choose."
" Oh, we know they did, but we got used to it ;
besides, we had to walk through the refectory pre-
pared for punishment, where the whole school was
assembled — Lady Superior, nuns, confessors, and all
— and they made us walk very slowly, too.''
" Prepared ? " said Lady C .
" Yes ; this sort of thing,' said the lively girl, giving
her drapery a dexterous twitch up over her shoulders,
and assuming a most comical expression of face, as,
with her arms crossed, she walked slowly through the
room. The sight of her plump, round hips and
smooth, firm flesh which the action disclosed was
too much for my lady, and, slyly seizing a rod which
lay beside her, she gave the young lady a smart cut
FANCIFUL FLOGGING. 185
with it, which made her jump and sit flat down on the
floor, amid the laughter of them all.
" That's not the way to receive punishment," said
Lady C , when their mirth had subsided. " This
meeting do agree that Madlle. Hilda St. Kitts shall
stand up and submit to such chastisement as the
sisters shall think proper for such an undignified
proceeding."
Which Miss St. Kitts did, and folding her hands,
humbly begged that the punishment might not be too
severe, so that she should not be able to partake of
any fun which might come after, and she was con-
demned to walk up and down the room twice, pre-
pared for punishment, and to receive or elude as she
could the blows from the ladies' rods. This proceeding
ended in a romp, and I don't think Miss St. Kitts got
much hurt, for she looked so funny with her pretty
morning robe pinned up round her neck, and her
brown legs contrasting so oddly with her snowy
chemise, that the ladies laughed too much to be
very mischievous. Just as their fun was at its height
the Princesse entered, having removed all her under-
1 86 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
clothing. When the turmoil had a little subsided, and
the heiress lay breathless and rolling on the floor, she
presented the rod, and kneeling to Lady C
begged for punishment. The Countess, my mistress,
and Mrs. D voted for a few minutes' pause ; they
were out of breath, as, indeed, were all the ladies.
" Then let some one tell a story," said Lady C .
•' Princesse, you are the only one of us with breath
enough ; entertain us while we rest."
" As a ransom ? will you take a story and let me go
free ? " asked the little lady, who, truth to tell, did not
much care for the whipping, having, as she confided to
my mistress, been taken to task by her husband on
one occasion as to the meaning of sundry marks on
her white skin. He had been at the chateau during a
visit he paid to Paris, and was expected again for a
day before returning to St. Petersburg, and his ap-
pearance was curiously ill-timed, having taken place
on the day following a grand meeting of the ladies, at
which the Princesse had come in for a full share of the
rites of St. Bridget.
FANCIFUL FLOGGING. 187
11 What say you, ladies ? shall the Princesse ransom
herself?" Lady C asked. " Far be it from us to
make his highness uncomfortable when he comes to
visit his lovely wife, or to make conjugal differences
through our secrets."
" Oh, we never differ," the Princesse said, laughing.
u Michael is afflicted with curiosity, that is all, and
he knows I never do penance, so it was awkward to
answer him. What must the story be about ? "
11 Something bearing on the rod, its use, &c. — some
of your own experiences."
'• I haven't any," she said, ruefully ; " I told you
so when I first joined you."
" I have it," said Mrs. D . " Let us consider the
Princesse absolved if she can tell us quite a new story
about whipping— something we have not heard before.''
" Perhaps Mrs. D will take my burden off my
shoulders," she said, comically ; " she looks full of
stories."
1 88 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET,
" No, Princesse ! no shifting," said my lady ; a story
from you, or the rod."
" I do know something ! " she replied, her face
brightening ; u but it is not my own experience, it
is my grandmother's."
" No matter, so it is new to us ; can we take a hint,
any of us ? "
" You might give your husbands one," she said
laughing. " A lady could not undertake such a matter
very well."
" Is Anson to hear it ? " asked my lady."
" Oh, anyone may hear it who is bound to keep our
secrets. Anson, fetch me a shawl : this costume is
slightly cold."
I fetched a soft wrap, and she curled herself up in a
corner of the soft couch like a dormouse, with nothing
out but her head and the point of her tiny slippers.
She was a luxurious little creature, and loved warmth,
FANCIFUL FLOGGING. 1 89
and soft cushions, and perfumes, and lace, and all the
graceful appliances of her rank, very dearly I think
to strip her of them would have been to kill her.
" My story is about my grandmother when she was
a school-girl," she said. " She was an Englishwoman,
and educated at a school of the first fashion, near
Bristol. She married afterwards the Marquis de
Bearne, but that has nothing to do with my story."
rt I'm afraid it won't be very original, Princesse,"
Lady C said. " School punishments are all alike
— kissing the rod, asking pardon, and the rest of it."
" There was something unique about this one, any
way," she replied ; " and I think you'll all acknow-
ledge it when you have heard it."
But the Princesse's tale was too long for this letter,
Marion. My mistress is to be out to-morrow the
whole day, and I will try and take up the story of the
flogging ladies then, and let you hear what amused
them all immensely. — Meantime, believe me, as ever,
Your sincere friend,
M, Anson.
LETTER X.
the princesse's story.
My Dear Marion,
I will try to take up my story where 1
left off, and tell you the tale the Princesse related
to the ladies to save herself from a whipping. Every
one is out— gone to a Watteau pic-nic in the grounds
— so I have a little time to myself. It was an odd
story she told, and sounded very like a page out of a
romance, but she vouched for its truth ; and Mrs
D , when she had done, corroborated it, having
heard something of the sort from her own mother.
" I have the whole story in grandmamma's own
hand somewhere," the Princesse said, " but it is at
Paris, so you must be content with it as 1 can tell it.
She was a very dashing girl, of about nineteen, when it
occured, so you may well imagine it made an im-
pression on her, There were no private governesses
I92 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
in those days, and families of the first fashion and
highest station sent their daughters to school. That
of Miss K , at Chiton, was one of the most cele-
brated and select ; she received no ladies but those of
the highest birth — not even clergymen of any grade
under a bishop could get their daughters admitted.
The number was limited to twenty, and the rate of
payment was very high. My grandmother had a list
of what the young ladies were required to take with
them in the way of toilet, and it was most expensive
and recherche. Carriages were kept for the use of the
scholars ; and they appeared every evening in full
dress. It was essentially a finished school, fourteen
being the very earliest age at which a young lady could
be admitted, and many remaining there until they
left to be married, To fall in love was not permitted
to an English demoiselle in those days : all was
arranged by her parents. Clifton was a secluded
place then, and select — not a vulgar show watering-
place as it is now — and the school stood alone. Miss
K was a rigid disciplinarian, and the punishment
of the rod was enforced for every offence ; the pupils
submitted to it as a matter of course, and getting
many a lesson in the manner of wielding it from their
THE PRINCESSES STORY. 193
elegant preceptress, who had quite a reputation for
the grace with which she inflicted punishment on the
young ladies under her care.
" One morning, while they were at their studies, a
carriage and four dashed up to the gate ; this was no
unusual apparition, as there were no railways in those
days, and the parents of many of the pupils travelled
in that manner, and the young ladies usually arrived
at Cliff House and departed therefrom in great style.
Miss K was in the schoolroom, but she made no
movement to go to see who the new arrival might be ;
she stood on her dignity, and waited for his card to be
brought to her, The scholars nearest the window saw
a tall, elegant man step out of the carriage, which
was most handsomely appointed, and enter the house.
In a few minutes the footman brought in a card on a
salver and presented it to his mistress ; it bore a crest
and the name of Sir Arthur Kempe, and, in the
corner, in very small letters, ' Inspector of Schools
under His Majesty's Commission,' surmounted by the
Royal Arms.
M Miss K looked at it a moment in a little per-
plexity, and then at her scholars,
N
194 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
11 ' Young ladies,' she said, ' this is a gentleman to
inspect the school ; go to your dressing-rooms all of
you and take off your morning dresses. A quarter
of an hour is allowed for the change.'
" She rang the bell, and ordered the maids who
attended to the toilettes of the pupils to be at their
posts, and the girls filed off to their respective
chambers to change their dresses. The morning
dress at Cliff House was a sort of uniform of white
muslin and lace, trimmed with pink or blue ribbon,
according to the complexion of the wearer, and this
was worn till the hour of the mid-day lunch, when
they were changed for walking costumes, and these
again for dinner dresses later in the day. But little time
was lost over dressing ; the young ladies were taught
promptitude and neatness, and a very few minutes
sufficed for the change of attire. While the girls went
to their rooms, full of curiosity as to the new arrival,
and wondering whether they were to be subjected to
any examination, Miss K was closeted with the
stranger in her private apartment. He greeted her
with a bow of the latest fashion, full of grace and
dignity, and took care to display his fine figure to the
THE PRINCESSES STORY. 195
best advantage. He wore a dark plum-coloured coat
and breeches, and an embroidered vest of canary
colour ; his ruffles were of the finest lace, and his
stockings of the most delicate shade of pink silk ; he
wore his own hair, tied at the back in a que. His
appearance was slightly effeminate and dandyish, but
his manner that of a complete gentleman.
" ' I have not the honour,' " Miss K began.
" ' Of knowing me ? No, madam/ he replied ;
' but I rejoice thus to commence an acquaintance with
a lady so widely known and respected as Miss K .
I bear his Majesty's commission, madam, to make a
somewhat delicate investigation into the state of ladies'
schools in this realm. I trust you will give me all the
assistance in your power.
" ' Certainly,' Miss K replied ; ' I court inspec-
tion in my establishment, and have ever done so.'
" ' My mission, madam, is to inquire into the punish-
ments in use in the various schools. There has been
a great deal of discussion in London lately as to the
ig6 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
use of the rod in ladies' schools ; and my commission
empowers me to inquire how far it is used, the effect
of it, and, if I deem it necessary, to see impending
punishment inflicted.'
" Miss K looked somewhat aghast at the
announcement ; she had never heard of such an
official proceeding as this, and she hardly knew what
to say.
" ' Allow me to show you my credentials,' he said,
taking a flat leather case from his pocket, and pro-
ducing a parchment deed. It was regularly indorsed,
and bore the King's sign and seal, and empowered
Sir Arthur Kempe to enquire into the discipline of
ladies' schools all over the kingdom ; and declaring
that any lady who refused information would be liable
to condign punishment on being reported by ' His
Majesty's Commissioner.'
"' I am perplexed,' the governess remarked, when
she had read the parchment. ' I use the rod, of course,
and my pupils submit to it when necessary ; but I do
THE PRINCESSES STORY. 1 97
not know whether they would yield to any examina-
tion or punishment from another.'
" ' If they do not, madam, your school will be ruined.
I have found most of the ladies whom I have visited
amenable to reason. In the last house I called at,
Mrs. J , of Mark Villa, Gloucester, I found the
discipline too slight, and was present at the punish-
ment of no less than six young ladies. The verbal
orders I received, in addition to yonder document,
were very stringent, I assure you.'
u ' How do you wish to proceed ? '
" ' Assemble your school, madam. Let me see
your black book ; I shall examine into the condition
of pupils after punishment, and superintend the next
whipping. If discipline is properly exercised (and I
am sure it is),' he added, with a bow, ' you will hear
nothing more of me or my commission ; if not, why,
I shall have to put a black mark against you, as you
do against your pupils.'
" There was nothing for it but to lead the way to
I9« MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
the schoolroom, where, by this time, the pupils were
all assembled, and introduce her guest. They rose
and courtesied at his entrance, and he saluted them
with easy grace, and took his stand by the governess's
desk, who explained to her pupils, not without some
trepidation, the object of his visit. One of the younger
girls was ordered to fetch the black-book and the rod,
which she presented kneeling, and the gentleman
turned over its pages.
" ' Angeline Summers,' he read, ' corrected yester-
day for inattention and untidiness, In the usual way^
madam ? '
11 ' In the usual way, Sir Arthur.'
" ' Prepare the young lady, and allow me to see the
effect of the punishment.'
" Now Angeline Summers was a fat roly-poly girl
of fifteen, or thereabouts, who was always getting
whipped. She did not care for the rod, not she, but
she did for the presence of this stranger, and she flatly
refused to let her weals and stripes be exhibited to
THE PRINCESSES STORY. 1 99
him. But he was firm, as became a man in authority ;
andJMiss Summers was securely held by two of the
maids, and her silk dress turned up over her head.
She bore the marks of plenty of whipping, and Sir
Arthur Kempe declared himself satisfied, and the
young lady was released and sent off to arrange her
dishevelled hair, with another whipping in prospect
for having been so restive.
11 Another girl's name was then read out, a tall}
slight, plain girl this time., who had been whipped but
slightly that morning for some trifling offence. She
resisted very little when ordered to prepare, for she
had sense enough to see that Miss Summers only
made matters worse by kicking and struggling ; and,
though she put up her hands to hide her burning face,
she said nothing, but allowed her clothes to be turned
up in silence.
" ' The punishment in this case has been very slight,'
the commissioner remarked. What was the offence ? '
" ' Insubordination and neglect of duty,' was the
answer ; ' two black marks.'
200 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" * It should have been at least double, Miss K .
Allow me.'
li And, taking the rod from her with a bow and a
smile, which half the girls present would have thought
cheaply bought by a whipping, he administered some
half dozen cuts to the shrinking figure before him,
which made the culprit shrink and writhe more than
Miss K had ever done. When she had been re-
leased he turned to the book again.
•' ' There is one name down for punishment I see,'
he said ; '• Emily Saltere. for neglect of duty. Which
of these ladies is Emily Saltere, madam ? '
u All eyes were turned to my grandmother, whose
handsome face turned scarlet, and there was no need
to answer his question. He started as he saw a tall,
handsome young woman curtsey, with the grace of a
Parisienne, as he mentioned her name, and, stepping
forward, he bowed to her with much respect.
" ' I regret, mademoiselle, he said, gracefully, ' that
my duties should take a form disagreeable to you, but
THE PRINCESSE'S STORY. 201
I am bound to attend to them. Madam, I desire to
see the punishment carried out exactly as it is always
performed in your establishment — omit nothing, and
add nothing, if you please.'
" Miss K , with a trembling voice, gave the
order —
" ' Arrange yourself for punishment, young ladies.
Prepare Miss Saltere.'
" Miss K signed to the attendant, but before
she could turn up the handsome dress my grand-
mother wore, Sir Arthur Kempe interfered.
" ' I think, madam, with your permission, that 1 will
break through the rule of public punishment in this
instance, and have the punishment inflicted in another
room ; I have no wish to hurt the young lady's feel-
ings more than is necessary. My duty compels me to
be an unwilling witness of the chastisement, but I do
not desire to make it harsher than is needful.'
" 'Remove Miss Saltere to the drawing-room,' Miss
202 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
K said, much relieved ; and my grandmother
was led away to her bedroom, where she was stripped,
and taken back to the drawing-room in her chemise and
a delicately frilled dressing-gown, trimmed with costly
lace. Sir Arthur Kempe bowed to her as she entered,
and himself handed her the rod, which she delivered
to Miss K kneeling, and was bidden to kiss.
Then her dress was carefully pinned up, leaving her
completely bare, and she was made to lean over a
large ottoman while the governess whipped her. Miss
K was generally severe, but her agitation on this
occasion made her strokes fall lightly, and the punish-
ment, though somewhat tedious, was not severe. The
gentleman watched the performance with critical eyes,
for my grandmother was a well-formed, plump girl,
with a fine clear complexion and healthy skin. He
complimented both mistress and pupil on the manner
in which the whole thing had been gone through, and
himself handed Miss Saltere to the door, kissing her
hand as she left the room. He made an entry of a
report in his book, which already held many such, and
assured Miss K that he should speak in the very
highest terms at head-quarters respecting her select
establishment. He stayed to dinner, insisted on the
2o3
rest of the day being given to the pupils for recrea-
tion, and departed for the next school on his route,
having won golden opinions from all in the house, in
spite of his unpleasant errand. The following morn-
ing Miss K received two or three letters from
ladies who kept schools asking if she too had been
visited, and describing the bearer of the novel com-
mission. Some time after my grandmother received
a visit from her aunt, the wife of a dignitary in the
church, to whom she told what had happened ; and
inquiries were made which led to the discovery that
the elegant gentleman who had visited the schools
and had the young ladies whipped for his delectation
was not Sir Arthur Kempe at all, but an Earl's
brother who had taken this extraordinary method of
gratifying his passion for the rod. It was all hushed
up for the sake of the many young ladies concerned ;
but the story got wind, and many schools fell into
disrepute through it.
" And that's my story, ladies," said the lively little
Princesse ; '* and I think it is something new in the
history of the rod."
2C4 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
But I must break off here, Marion, and leave what
followed for my next.
Your sincere friend,
M. Anson.
LETTER XI.
A PROFITABLE PUPIL.
My dear Marion,
I left off the other day at the conclusion
of the story the Princesse Z told, which the ladies
received with much laughter and applause. She
made it so piquant by her charming manner and
pretty imitation of the different people she talked
about that they were all delighted, and unanimous in
declaring she should be considered to have ransomed
herself from her whipping.
" I think that is something new" Lady C said ;
" I don't fancy any of us can equal that in our ex-
periences."
" And it is true? Mrs D added ; " my mother's
school received a similar visitation. I have heard her
206 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
speak of it, though I had forgotten it until now. But,
ladies, time flies ; who is the next "
" Victim, eh ? " said Miss St. Kitts, gaily. " Why,
you, dear Mrs. D , of course. How say you,
sisters, shall Mrs D be now whipped ? "
" Oh, yes, yes," they cried, seizing upon the plump
lady, who was fat, fair, and nearer forty than thirty,
and preparing to turn up her richly trimmed peignoir
over her head. " Yes, Mrs D by all means ; she
does not get her fair share of the rites ! "
I saw my lady draw her rod through her fingers, as
if she relished the idea of letting it fall smartly on the
plump white flesh of the buxom Mrs D , who was
as comely and wholesome looking a lady as I ever saw.
Her limbs were as firm and round as those of the
youngest of the whipping sisterhood, and a rich
healthy tinge shewed under her clear skin, the result
of a sound constitution and regular habits. Mrs
D never left her bed in the morning without
plunging into a cold bath, and braced her system
with regular exercise, which she never omitted, what-
A PROFITABLE PUPIL. 207
ever the weather might be. She was a large woman,
tall and inclined to be stout, — had she been indolent
she would have become corpulent ; as it was she was
just fleshy enough to be handsome, and to give the
idea of perfect health, which, indeed, she enjoyed.
She had regular features, blue eyes, and white teeth,
which ill-natured people declared were not her own,
so perfect were they in preservation. She had an
abundance of silky hair of a very pale shade of brown,
not light enough for flaxen, nor brilliant enough to
be called golden ; its slight tinge of red preserved it
from insipidity, and, wound round her handsome head
in a style peculiar to herself, it was at once striking
and beautiful. Mrs D \s passion for the rod was
intense ; she never missed an opportunity of witnessing
or practising the use of it. To do her justice, she
never shirked it from the hands of the other ladies, and
more than once I have led her away from the tabagie
and assisted her to bed after a severe whipping, for
her maid was not in the secrets of the meetings. She
was always ready for her share of the fun, but on this
occasion, to the surprise of the ladies, she demurred.
" Not this morning," she said, laughing, twisting
208 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
herself free of their detaining hands, and shaking
down her peignoir over her plump legs. " Like the
Princesse I call a truce ; I will take my punishment
at our meeting to-morrow night, but not now."
" Why not ? " demanded Lady C . " A good
reason, mind, or the punishment will be doubled."
" Well, then," said the lively lady, " time flies ; our
lords and masters will soon be in, and we must pre-
sent ourselves in the drawing-room in trim array.
Dinner time is drawing on, and I, for one, should not
like to go down smarting and twisting from the effects
of the rod ; what say you, ladies ? Is not my reason
sufficient ? "
They all agreed that it was, and that it would be
better to defer any further practice of the rod till the
next night, when they were again going to meet in
the tabagie ; but Mrs. D was informed that she
must follow the example of the Princesse. and tell a
story relating in some way to the practice of whipping.
" I have none of my own experience,'' she said.
A PROFITABLE PUPIL. 2(X)
" Whipping is all the same wherever practised, but
I could tell something about a lady I once knew,
once upon a time."
" Oh, don't go back into remote ages ! " said the
little Princesse ; " let us have a story of our own days."
" It is not so very long ago ; did I not say I knew
the lady ? it all happened when I was a girl. I was
living with my parents at E , when there
suddenly appeared in society there a rich, or
apparently rich, widow, Mrs. A . She lived
in good style, kept her carriage, and had a hand-
somely appointed house and plenty of well-trained
servants ; no one knew the source of her wealth
or where she came from, but she rapidly became
popular in the best society, and by her dashing
manner and splendid appearance won for herself
an eminent position in the fashionable world. Like
many fine ladies, she cherished a secret passion for
the rod, and odd stories began to circulate, through
the medium of her maids, of the way she used it on
herself and them. But flogging her maids was poor
pastime for Mrs. A , who, report said, had been
o
2IO MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
accustomed to use the rod upon her husband very
freely, and she cast about in her own mind for a
victim fresh at once to the practice and to her. For-
tune came to her, and in rather a strange way. The
back windows of her handsome house looked across
the corner of a square towards the rear of a row of
houses somewhat less pretentious, some of which
were let out in aristocratic apartments, In one of
these lodged a Mr. B , a young gentleman of im-
mense fortune, and some two or three and twenty
years of age. At twenty-five he was to come into
absolute possession of his estates and property, and
in the meantime he was studying, under the care of a
guardian, at the university at E . That some one
should overlook his studies and pursuits was necessary
from the fact that he was slightly weak in his intellect,
— not enough to make him unable to study, or suf-
ficient to render him an object of remark, but so
much so as to make it necessary that his inclinations
to extravagance and propensity for childish display
should be controlled. One night, when Mrs. A
was retiring to rest, she accidently cast her eyes
towards a window on the ground floor of a house
opposite, where Mr. B , thinking himself unseen,
A PROFITABLE PUPIL. 21 T
was preparing for bed. She watched him for a long
time, for the young gentleman, fancying himself un-
seen, indulged in a variety of pranks, by no means
disagreeable to the eyes of a sensual woman, like the
lady who sat at her darkened window looking on. In
the morning Mrs. A took up her post of observa-
tion again, and found that the light streamed full
into the room the young man occupied, and discovered
him lying undressed upon the sofa with a book. A
powerful opera glass disclosed every object in the
room with the utmost distinctness, and shewed her
the tastes and habits of its owner. She could discern
two or three German books on the table, the very
simplest of grammars, such as a child might use, and
one or two rough exercises evidently written by a
beginner. Now Mrs. A was an accomplished
linguist, and she saw in this circumstance a way to
make the young man's acquaintance, for his hand-
some face and fine form had inflamed her with a
strange desire to know him. Again the next night
she watched, and had ample opportunity of studying
the stranger's perfection of form and limb, and she
resolved to set about making his acquaintance the
very next day. He was a singularly handsome young
212 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
fellow, blue-eyed and fair-haired, and a very Apollo
in form. The lady was fertile in expedients, and the
next morning despatched her maid to inquire if there
were apartments to let in the house where he lived.
She was informed there were, and Mrs A immedi-
ately proceeded to inspect them " on behalf of a friend."
Of course she wanted no rooms, but the landlady,
garrulous after the fashion of her class, gave her un-
asked all that she did want — viz., information respect-
ing her lodger. She could speak of his wealth and
his prospects, and tell who he associated with, and
where he visited, &c. Mrs A. learned that he
had but few friends, and no young men companions
of his own age, which was rather pleasant for her to
hear. One of the houses he frequented was one of
which she herself had the entree^ and she resolved
that she would meet him there. A little dexterous
questioning, not unaided by the universal talisman of
money, made her as au fait to the young man's
habits as the landlady's tongue could make her, and
she returned home to wait once more for the evening,
when she might again watch him alone in his luxurious
room. He was evidently possessed of taste as well as
wealth, and his apartments were furnished with every-
A PROFITABLE PUPIL. 213
thing that could conduce to his comfort or appeal to
the sensual tastes she had already discovered he pos-
sessed. Again she was able to remark him unseen,
and feast her eyes upon the form and proportions
which had so taken her fancy, and she retired to rest
more than ever determined to lose no time in obtain-
ing an interview with him. Chance favoured her
project, — cards of invitation arrived for a select party
at the house of the mutual acquaintance, and she
found to her delight that Mr. B was invited too.
She dressed herself to the best advantage (she was,
as I have said, a splendid woman), donned her hand-
somest jewellery, and set out, bent on conquest.
The introduction was soon made, and she knew at
once what course to pursue. If Mr. B was free
and easy in his conduct in the privacy of his own
apartments, he was shy to a fault in company. Almost
painfully awkward, he shrank from conversation, and
seemed fully conscious of the slight defect which
existed in his mental organization. Mrs. A saw
this, and set herself to draw him out as only an ac-
complished and self-possessed woman can. In an
hour he had forgotten his shyness, and was sitting by
her side chatting with perfect freedom of himself and
2i4 Merry order of st. Bridget.
his pursuits. He talked to her with the utmost con-
fidence, told her of his studies and how trying he
found them, and she listened and sympathised till he
grew quite bewildered with her kindness and intoxi-
cated with her beauty and fascination. It was so
rarely that ladies cared to talk to him much, — he
lacked the graces which make a young man's society
agreeable to the fair sex, but Mrs. A resolved
that he should not lack them long. She pondered
over some way to find an excuse for inviting him
to her house, and he supplied it himself, by confiding
to her that, of all his studies, the German language
puzzled and tormented him most. Now, she was an
excellent linguist ; she had a natural gift in acquiring
languages, and, having spent years abroad, spoke
French and German like a native. Here was an
opening. She at once proffered her services, declared
so much more could be done by conversation than by
poring over books, and invited the delighted youth to
come and take lessons of her. Before the evening
was over he was completely captive to her charms,
and, when her carriage came round, and he was per-
mitted to wrap her costly shawl round her handsome
shoulders, and to draw the overshoes on her shapely
A PROFITABLE PUPIL. 21 5
feet, his hands trembled so he could hardly perform
the pleasant little duties gentlemen delight to take
upon themselves for pretty women. He hardly
waited till noon next day had passed before he
presented himself at her house, where he was most
cordially received. From that hour his subjugation
was complete ; Mrs A might have done anything
with him, and she made full use of the advantage she
had gained. He became a constant visitor at her
house, her follower wherever she went, while she, on
her part, was rather proud of exhibiting the faithful
attachment of her handsome Adonis. Unlike the
beautiful youth of Venus's adoration, he was nothing
loth to pay back, in her own coin, the attentions she
lavished on him. For a long time it came to nothing
more than untiring attention on his part, and flattering
condescension and fascinating smiles and witcheries
on her's. But servants will be servants, and ere long a
whispered rumour got afloat that there was more in
their acquaintance than mere politeness. Mrs A
began to wear handsomer jewellery than ever, and
more fine dresses and silk stockings found their way
into the possession of her maid than formerly. The
daily visits went on, and Mr B 's infatuation grew
2l6 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
greater than ever for the well-developed charms of his
idol. He was happy in obeying her slightest whim,
delighted to be allowed to fetch her shawl, or her
dainty slippers, when she chose to sit with him for
a cosy chat. The excuse for all this was German
lessons, Mrs. A 's services as teacher being well
appreciated by her well-grown pupil. But somehow
it soon began to be whispered that other matters
besides German teaching were attended to in these
frequent tete a tetes which took place in the lady's
boudoir. The room was fitted up in the most volup-
tuous style, with amber satin hangings to suit the
dark style of her beauty, and white lace to interpose
between them and the too fair complexions of some
of her visitors. Pictures of the most suggestive kind
covered the walls, and helped to increase the infatua-
tion of the youth, who, from the moment that he
entered the house, seemed completely carried away
by the sensuous splendour around him. The boudoir
had an unused door, opening into a spare room, behind
which Mrs. A 's maid used to ensconce herself, and,
without the knowledge of her mistress, became a silent
witness of the sort of teaching that went on, Before
her acquaintance with Mr. B , her lady was a
A PROFITABLE PUPIL. 21?
splendid dresser, but now she became more luxuri-
ous than ever. One time she would appear before the
enamoured youth in a neglige costume trimmed with
the most costly lace, made so that every movement
displayed her handsome bust or rounded arms ; at
another she would dress herself in full evening cos-
tume, and meet him under the soft light of the lamps,
with every surrounding that could appeal to the senses
or excite the imagination. One toilet, which caused
no small sensation at more than one party that winter,
figured afterwards in the bills sent in to Mr B 's
guardian. It was composed of green velvet of a tint
peculiarly becoming to the brunette complexion of
Mrs A , and was trimmed with the rarest lace
to be procured in E , which was set down, by
the draper who supplied it, as " fifty yards, at two
guineas per yard. ' From dressing to receive her pupil,
the lady soon got to threatening him with punishment
if he failed in his lessons. At first it was all joke.
" ' You deserve to be whipped,' she would say ; and
down he would go on his knees, and kiss her white
hands, and clasp his arms around her to caress away
her anger, while she submitted to his endearments,
218 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
nothing loth. After a few encounters of this sort
affairs grew more serious, and her fancy for whipping
her interesting pupil could be restrained no longer.
" ■ I shall whip you this time,' she said at last, after
a more than usually blundering performance of her
scholar.
rt ' Not this time,' pleaded he, casting himself at her
feet, and clasping her plump, white hands, which he
covered with kisses.
•' ' Yes, now ! Stand up, and take down your
trousers.'
M ' No, no ! I will try and do better; I will indeed.'
•' ' No excuses, sir,' she said, with feigned severity,
while the maid listened intently, and marked how her
eyes flashed with excitement. ' At once, sir/ and she
took off her dainty slipper, affording more than a
glimpse of her handsome leg as she did so. The
young man fell at her feet, and embraced them, and
kissed them ; but it was all to no purpose — she was
A PROFITABLE PUPIL. 219
inexorable : she made him undress, and bestowed
upon him a smart slapping with the slipper she held.
But this only gave her a more decided zest for the
rod ; and when she informed her scholar that the next
time he transgressed he should be whipped with a rod,
and severely, too, he kissed her hands and her rosy
mouth, and intimated that he was ready to submit to
anything she chose to do with him. The maid held
her tongue about this, but not about the more cere-
monious whipping which took place shortly after, and
of which she was also a witness. Before Mr B
arrived, she was ordered to fetch a box out of her mis-
tress's dressing-room, the contents of which she was
very well acquainted with, and place it in the boudoir.
This she did, and then took up her post of observation.
The young gentleman came as usual, and began his
studies, blundering egregiously in a very short time.
She made him stand before her like a little boy,
lectured him severely on his carelessness, and ordered
him to bring the rod. In vain he begged and prayed,
kneeling before her, and kissing her feet, covered only
by a thin silk stocking. She commanded him to stand
up and prepare, which he did, still begging and pray-
ing to be released. Mrs A would have no mercy,
22C MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
and his trousers were quickly taken off. Then he was
bidden to bring the rod, then to kiss it, and finally,
the lady laying him across her knee, administered a
thorough whipping, till he fell on the floor, smarting
and exhausted. All this the maid saw, not once, but
man) times, and, after the fashion of her class, did not
hold her tongue about it. The result of all this was
that Mr B grew so wildly in love with his fair
instructress, that he became in danger of ruining
himself for her. There was no limit to his extra-
vagance, and Mrs A was a lady of expensive
tastes. Gifts of all sorts began to find their way to
her house. Gems which he would swear could not
rival the lustre of her eyes — dainty slippers which he
would fit on, and kiss the exquisitely shaped foot they
were made to adorn — articles of vertu, and sumptuous
feminine adornments of all sorts, were almost daily de-
livered at her door, and the affair became a matter of
public scandal. The guardian of the infatuated young
man remonstrated with him on his extravagance with-
out effect, until a bill for £2000, for a parure of
emeralds, opened their eyes to the true state of the
case, and they refused to pay for the jewels. Mrs
A — - as stoutly refused to give them up, and the
A PROFITABLE PUPIL. 221
result was an exposure of the circumstance, which
resulted in Mr B being at once despatched to
his estates in Ireland, and the lady having to make
a hasty retreat to ' fresh fields and pastures new,'
where she might perchance pick up another wealthy
innocent to minister to her whims and passions."
» And is that all true ?" Miss St. Kitts asked, when
Mrs D had stopped.
" Quite, my dear ; I remember the lady perfectly,
and a handsome creature she was, just the style that
boys fall in love with. But come, ladies, we have not
much time before dinner ; I vote an adjournment till
to-morrow night."
They all agreed and dispersed. I'll write again
and tell you about that other meeting in the tabagie,
which, as it happened, was the last. — Meantime,
I am,
Your sincere friend,
M. Anson.
LETTER XII.
" which ends this strange eventful history.''
My dear Marion,
I have only one more meeting in the
tabagie to tell you about, for, as it befel, the ladies
were discovered, and my lord was so indignant that
he insisted on my lady leaving the chateau at once.
The day after they met in my mistress's dressing-
room for the private practice I told you about, there
was to be a grand meeting at which they intended to
hold a perfect festival of flogging. Every one was to
flog and be flogged in turn, and the dresses they were
to wear were to be of the most piquant and expensive
description. Every lady was to go prepared to sub-
mit to a whipping ; and those who wore male attire
were enjoined to put on nothing underneath but a
fine chemise. Two ladies dressed as footmen, and
one as a page ; Madlle. St. Kitts as a savage, and
very handsome she looked, She had a white chemise
224 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
hanging very loosely over the bosom, with pendant
gold coins along the edge of it ; a cashmeer shawl of
brilliant orange colour curiously disposed about her
by way of drapery, and a tiger skin thrown over her
shoulders. The shawl, which had a beautifully em-
broidered border of all the colours of the rainbow,
served her at once for skirt and scarf, and was draped
in a very picturesque manner. Nearly the whole of
one leg was bare, and the other was seen up to the
knee ; her feet were thrust into sandals made out of
the skin of a panther, or some skin dyed to represent
it ; and her hair was suffered to flow as loosely as
such a curly crop could be made to do, and was
adorned with a fillet of pendant gold coins the same
as those on her bodice. She made a charming picture
as she walked up the room with the free nndulating
grace so remarkable in her movements, and the ladies
all murmured their admiration. The little Princesse
elected to represent Ariel for this night only, and
looked a study for a painter with her round bare limbs
and soft white drapery. The dress was very low and
short, hardly reaching to her knee, and was confined
round the waist and across the shoulders with bands
of gold. A diamond star formed the buckle of her
END OF THIS STRANGE HISTORY. 225
belt, and another glittered on her forehead, held there
by a secret fastening, which made it quiver and shake
like a living thing over her glossy hair, which fell in rip-
pling masses to her waist. My lady chose to go in the
Pompadour costume, which suited her style well ; and
Lady C , like a stingy old thing, as she always
was, went as a Lady Superior of some convent or
other, in a costume of grey stuff and white flannel,
with a string of wooden beads, and a crucifix which
never cost above half-a-crown, I am sure. Mrs. D
at first thought of being a gentleman, but, as she said
afterwards, it was next to impossible to cram her fat
proportions into any sort of men's clothes, so she gave
up the idea, and appeared in a sort of Dame Durden
costume, with a steeple-crowned hat, high- heeled
shoes, scarlet petticoat, black bodice, and point lace.
She looked very funny with her fine hair all stuffed
away under a mop cap, and spectacles on her good*
humoured-looking face, and the ladies laughed im-
mensely at her and her costume. As for Stephens
and myself, we were ordered to dress like two charity
girls, with caps, mittens, and aprons all complete, and
nice figures we looked, 1 can tell you — one in red, and
one in blue. I was almost forgetting Mme. Hautville's
P
226 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
toilet for this grand night ; she went as a Vivandiere,
and bewitching she looked. Her skirt was of bright
scarlet silk, soft and noiseless, with bands of velvet,
and buttons down one side exactly as you see it in
the opera, only that every button was a cluster of
diamonds worth a little fortune ; her jacket was of
blue velvet, with scarlet facings, buttoned with dia-
monds ; a tiny white linen collar stood up round her
full throat, and dainty white gauntlets covered her
little hands. She had rolled up her splendid hair
into somewhat masculine-looking curls, and wore a
grey felt hat with a splendid ostrich feather, fastened
by a diamond aigrette in front. Her boots were of
soft black kid, and her legs were bare — the dress
being short enough to show about half of the
calf of her leg. She made a lovely addition to the
varied picture the bright dresses presented as she
walked up the room and a4 hearty burst of applause
greeted her appearance.
The room was decorated with the prettiest flowers,
and I had a day's work helping my lady and the
Princesse to tie the rods afresh with different coloured
ribbons. The weather was intensely warm, and the
END OF THIS STRANGE HISTORY. 227
skylight of the tabagie was left open till the very last
moment, for the sake of the air. It fastened on the
inside, and could be opened and shut at will by any
one in the room ; it was of ground glass, and effectu-
ally kept out prying eyes even if any one could have
got up there to look. When the ladies were all
assembled, each with her rod, and Lady C in her
place on the dais, as president, she bid me shut the
window.
11 Ah, is it necessary ?" Mrs. D asked with a
shrug. u We shall melt, as well as smart, before the
evening is over. '
11 Consider, madam," Lady C replied, " if we
leave the window open, we are at any one or every
one's mercy. Even in such an apparently inaccessible
place it would be dangerous to leave a loophole."
" I fancy the only spies would be cats and sparrows,"
the Princesse said, with a laugh ; " but Madame la
Presidente is right. We had better be sure ; so shut
the window, Anson, and fasten it that no inquisitive
folk may lift it up."
228 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
I loosened the cord, and the heavy skylight came
down with a bang, shutting out the glimpse of the
starlit sky we had before seen, and I stood upon a
chair to make it fast. I felt sure, as I did so, that the
rope did not come to its usual place upon the hooks ;
that the window, in short, was not quite shut. I
looked up, but it appeared close ; and as no pulling
of mine could make any difference, I just held my
tongue, and fastened it. It was no business of mine,
and no one could get up there to peep, so it did not
signify much. The proceedings of that meeting were
somewhat different to those which had gone before ;
the ladies wanted a fresh sensation, and they resolved
to have it. Instead of one of the sisterhood being
horsed and whipped, or running the gauntlet of all
the ladies' rods, each one was to whip her next neigh-
bour ; in fact, a round robin of flogging, with neither
beginning nor end. Previous to this, Mrs. D was
to take the punishment she had promised not to shirk,
and then, after a short interval for her recovery, she
was to be the centre figure of the next performance,
and give the signal for the blows to be struck, which
were to be given with the precision of clockwork.
The lady being duly prepared, she was found too big
END OF THIS STRANGE HISTORY. 229
to be horsed, and, amid the laughter of the ladies, she
was escorted by the two footmen to the square otto-
man in the middle of the room, over which she was
made to kneel, held by the supposed livery men, while
the page handed the rod. There was a great deal of
tittering over the performance, for she looked very
funny in her mop cap, with her old woman's dress
turned up, and her tall hat on the floor in front of
the ottoman. Lady C , too, looked extremely
grotesque in her nun's costume, whipping away with
all her might, with the perspiration washing the rouge
down her face in red lines. While all this was going
on, I fancied — nay, I was sure — that 1 heard a curious
noise something like a groan, though where it came
from I could not tell. Looking round I saw, from
the startled faces of some of the ladies, that they had
heard it too."
u What is that ? " said the Princesse. " Where did
that noise come from ? "
No one could tell, and though every nook and
corner of the room was searched, and the two outer
rooms explored, no way of accounting for the noise
230 MERRY ORDER OF St. BRIDGET.
could be found, The skylight was fast, and, after a
moment or two of confusion, the alarm subsided, and
the ladies prepared for the universal whipping they
had planned. They arranged themselves all round
the room after a short interval, during which they
partook of champagne and biseuits, and cooled them-
selves a little with perfume from a pretty fountain,
which was one of the latest additions to the luxury of
the smoking-room. I was placed in front of Lady
C , and I shivered as I thought of how she could
hit, and Stephens before the little Princesse, who did
not much like her, and whose tiny hands could deal a
stinging blow. Mrs. D was seated in the middle
on the ottoman over which she had been whipped,
and when they were all ready she gave the word
" Prepare ! "
Up went the dresses simultaneously, but the
" gentlemen " found more difficulty with their cos-
tumes, and there was not a little laughing, which
caused peals of merriment. At length, however, the
buttons were mastered, and the nether garments
turned down ; the gentlemen were in place and
position, and Mrs. D gave the word, " Strike !"
END OF THIS STRANGE HISTORY. 23 1
Every rod was uplifted, but ere they could fall
there came a slight shriek, and an unmistakably
feminine voice exclaimed, in cracked tones —
" Oh, the disgusting monsters ! Oh, the abandoned
wretches ! "
A peal of irrepressible laughter from another voice
followed and accompanied the words, and the ladies
gazed at one another in amazement and consternation.
Ere they could recover their scattered wits, another
catastrophe occurred ; a sudden crash, as of some
heavy body falling on the flat roof, was heard, and a
hand dashed through the skylight, scattering the glass
in all directions, and admitting a rush of cold air.
Screams and howls succeeded to this catastrophe,
through which we could still catch the sound of
laughing, smothered this time, as though stifled with a
handkerchief, and then a pair of lightly shod feet
pattered lightly away over the roof.
" Out with the lights, " said lady C , " and then
to your rooms, ladies ; we have had spies upon us.
232 MERRY ORDER OF ST. feRtDGET.
Let everyone dress as quickly as possible, and appear
in the drawing-room."
Out went the lights in a moment, and not an in-
stant too soon, for the screams and cries of the person
on the roof brought plenty to her aid. Feet sounded
over our heads, and sympathising voices mingled with
exclamations of amazement and alarm.
11 Not a word," whispered Lady C , ** and re-
member, dress as you were dressed before ; we must
be presentable before many minutes are past. Away
at once, and silently."
You may be sure we lost no time in obeying her
orders, and, seizing our cloaks from the ante-rooms,
we rushed off. We met several of the guests and ser-
vants, who asked what was the matter, which no one
seemed to know ; and the Count and several of the
gentlemen were nowhere to be found. Madlle. St.
Kitts came to my mistress's room to dress, and very
quick she was about it, for nol many minutes elapsed
before she was ready for any emergency. It was for-
tunate for her, for there came a knock at the door,
END OF THIS STRANGE HISTORY. 233
and the Count's voice was heard enquiring for her.
Something seemed to have affected him powerfully,
for he was shaking with suppressed laughter, and
could hardly speak. Mademoiselle went out to him,
and left the door open, so that we heard the conversa-
tion. The Count looked surprised to see her dressed,
and made her a low bow.
" Will you come to your aunt, mademoiselle ? " he
said. " She has met with a slight accident."
The young girl looked him in the face without
blenching, though her eyes twinkled.
" Poor auntie," she said ; " she seems unfortunate.
What has happened to her ? *'
" She has cut her hand rather badly with some
broken glass ; any other information she will give you
herself."
He spoke gravely enough ; but their eyes met, and
the girl's uncontrollable spirit of fun burst out in a
hearty peal of laughter, in which he joined. She saw
234 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
that he knew it all, and she put a bold face on the
matter.
" What extraordinary gymnastics my aunt must
have practised to-night," she said, demurely, after their
laughter had somewhat subsided. " Did you assist
her, Count ? *
"No, on my honour," he replied, as they walked
away.
My lady was too frightened to laugh at what had
happened.
" That old cat," she said, when she had heard all ;
11 she must have had some crack to peep through*
Anson, we are undone ; she is quite capable of holding
a levee of gentlemen, and telling them everything."
Which I have no doubt, from the sequel, she did.
I was dreadfully frightened and angry too, and I
took an opportunity of getting away to seek Gustave,
who, I felt sure, had been the mover and helper of
Madlle. Loupe's scheme. If my vengeance was swift,
END OF THIS STRANGE HISTORY. 235
some one else's was swifter, for I came upon Mons-
Hautville in the corridor dragging him by his collar,
and in a very few minutes indescribable yells issued
from his apartments. I saw no more of Gustave, for
I had enough on my hands before long, but I heard
all about it afterwards. He and Madlle. Loupe be-
tween them had concocted a plan by which to get on
the roof of the smoking-room, which they carried out
by means of a ladder purloined from the garden.
How she must have bribed him, to be sure, before he
joined her in her freak. He had better have peeped
by himself, for the discovery led to his instant dis-
missal by his mistress. However, he didn't lose much
by that, for my lady heard afterwards of his being
seen in Paris in the train of the little golden-haired
Mme. Hautville.
Within an hour from Madlle. Loupe's summons to
her niece, my lord came to my lady's dressing-room
and had a long talk with her. He never got into a
passion, but he was very decided. All I heard was,
" Julia, you will be ready to leave this place at six
o'clock to morrow morning," and then he came to me
in the bedroom.
236 MERRY ORDER OF ST. BRIDGET.
" Anson," he said, " you will pack up all your mis-
tress's and your own things, and be ready to leave
here the first thing in the morning. I shall take the
early train to Paris."
I curtsied, of course, and he went on —
"I don't know how far to blame you for the disgusting
business which was accidentally discovered to-night,
so I will take the most charitable view of the case, and
suppose you to be a mere tool in the hands of others.
For your lady's sake, I will not dismiss you now, but
warn you to be careful of your conduct for the
future."
And that was all, my dear. We were hustled off in
the morning without being allowed to see any of the
other guests. The Count accepted the plea of sudden
and particular business, and gave me a billet-de-banc
for a hundred francs, when he bid me good-bye. I
heard afterwards that Madlle. Loupe had a bad hand
for a long time (and serve her right, a nasty prying
thing), and that Madlle. St. Kitts got so tired of her
tyranny that she ran away from her to her guardian
END OF THIS STRANGE HISTORY. 237
in Paris. But there were no more meetings in the
tabagie, and the Order of St. Bridget was broken up.
And that's how we come to be vegetating here in
England, with my lord as cross and stiff as you can
imagine., and my lady low-spirited and dull. Write
again, and believe me as ever,
Your sincere friend,
M. Anson.
•
^ejr M2018I0
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